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A  History  and  Description, 
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Contents  and  Use  .  . 


By  W.  R.  CREDLAND 

DEPUTY  CHIEF  LIBRARIAN 
AUTHOR    OF   "DAYS    OFF"    &=€. 


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A  History  and  Description, 
aitd  Guide  to  their  .  . 
Contents   and   Use  .   . 

By  W.  R.   CREDLAND 

DEPUTY  CHIEF  LIBRARIAN 
AUTHOR    OF    ''DAYS    OFF,"    dfc. 


Manchester 
Printed  for  the  Public  Free  Libraries  Committee  by  Thos.  Sowler  &  Sons  Limited 


LiERARY 
SCHOOL 


CONTENTS. 


PACK 

Prefatory  Note    xiii 

Committee  AND  Officers    xv 

History  of  the  Manchester  Public  Library  Movement  - 

First  Efforts i 

Speech  by  Joseph  Brotherton,  M.P 3 

Letter  from  the  Prince  Consort 5 

Speech  by  Sir  John  Potter 6 

Speeches  by  Thackeray  8,  25 

Speech  by  Dickens  10 

Speech  by  Lord  Ly tton  12 

Speech  by  R.  M.  Milnes 15 

Report  of  the  Working  Mens' Committee    17 

Speech  by  John  Bright    21 

Inaugural  Epic 27 

Free  Libraries  and  Education    30 

Lectures 32 

The  Campfield  Building 35 

Beginning  of  the  Branches 37 

Death  of  Sir  John  Potter 4° 

Edward  Edwards,  First  Librarian    41 

R.  W.  Smiles,  Second  Librarian  48 

The  Rochdale  Road  Branch  49 

Speeches  by  Harry  Rawson  50,  172,  193 

Speech  by  I  vie  Mackie    53 

Speech  by  Prof.  J.  G.  Greenwood      53 

Donations  and  Gifts 5^)  94 

The  Reference  Library  Catalogue 58 

The  Hulme  Branch 59 

Speeches  by  Thomas  Baker  60,  76,  loi,  106,  129,  161 

Speech  by  the  Rev.  F.  C.  Woodhouse 64 

Speech  by  the  Rev.  Canon  Toole  69 

Speech  by  the  Rev.  Geo.  Bowden     7° 

The  Chorltoh  and  Ardwick  Branch  75 

Speech  by  the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury    80 

Speech  by  Edward  James,  Q.  C 83 

Speech  by  Dudley  Field 85 

Speech  by  the  Rev.  Alex.  Thomson 86 

Speech  by  H.  Austin  Bruce,  M.P 89 


95858 


PAGE 

The  Ancoats  Branch    94 

The  Brotherton  Memorial  Fund    95 

Expenditure  ti)  1869     96 

Increasing  the  Income 97 

Number  of  Volumes  and  Issues,  1852-70 99 

Effect  of  Condition  of  the  Labour  Market  100 

The  Cheetham  Branch loi 

Speeches  by  James  Croston 105,  112,  134 

The  Reference  Library    116 

Speeches  by  Chancellor  R.  C.  Christie 119 

Speeches  by  James  Crossley     120,  131 

Speech  by  Abel  Hey  wood 122 

Speech  by  Dr.  John  Watts 123 

The  Deansgate  Branch  127 

Sunday  Opening 1 36 

Boys'  Rooms 137,  280 

English  Dialect  and  other  Societies  139 

The  Bailey  Shorthand  Collection 141 

The  Hazlitt  Collection 144 

The  Gipsy  Collection  146 

Andrea  Crestadoro,  Third  Librarian     149 

Reading  Rooms    151 

Sir  Thomas  Baker,  Kt 152 

Employment  of  Women  as  Assistants  155 

Asking  for  Grant  of  Parliamentary  Papers  156 

Greater  Manchester 164 

Number  of  Volumes  and  Issues,  1870-87 165 

The  Newton  Heath  Branch 166 

Speeches  by  James  W.  Southern 169,  181,  190,  192,  198,  210 

Speech  by  John  Mark 171 

Speech  by  George  Milner  173 

The  Rusholme  Branch    175 

Address  by  Sir  Henry  Roscoe    1 78 

The  Longsight  Branch    182 

Address  by  Alexander  Ireland   185 

The  Chester  Road  Reading  Room    191 

Speech  by  Alderman  Marshall  193 

The  Gorton  Branch 196 

Address  by  Dr.  A.  W.  Ward 199 

The  Openshaw  Branch   204 

Address  by  Chancellor  R.  C.  Christie  205 

Speech  by  J.  H.  Crosfield  212 

The  Moston  Branch  214 

Delivery  Stations 215 

Use  of  the  Newsrooms   215 


PAGE 

Summary  of  Statistics 21S 

Spontaneous  Growth  219 

What  the  Estabhshment  of  Libraries  may  mean 219 

The  Economic  Lesson  of  Public  Libraries 221 

The  Cost   221 

Income  Tax 222 

Rules,  Regulations,  and  Bye-laws 228 

Directions  to  Readers  and  Borrowers 233 

The  Reference  Library:  Guide  to  its  Contents  and  Use  ...  237 

Specifications  and  Patents  237 

Directories    239 

Newspaper  Files 241 

Parliamentary  Papers  242 

Reviews,  Magazines,  and  Newspapers 242 

The  Owen  Manuscripts  247 

The  Hibbert-Ware  Manuscripts 249 

Other  Manuscripts  252 

Early  Printed  Books    255 

Rare  or  Curious  Books 256 

Illustrated  Books 261 

How  to  obtain  Books  266 

Bibliographies  267 

Growth  of  the  Library  in  Books  and  their  use    269 

The  Lending  Libraries 270 

Periodicals  and  Newspapers  taken 271 

The  Reading  Rooms 276 

Bradford  Reading   Room   276 

Harpurhey  Reading  Room 277 

Hyde  Road  Reading  Room    278 

The  Library  Staff 281 

Areas  of  the  Libraries  and  Newsrooms  283 


BOOK     PLATE. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


The  Campneld  Building.     (The  first  home  of  the  Manchester  Public 

Libraries)  Frontispiece. 

Rochdale  Road  Branch,  Reading  Room  Page  \% 

Hulme  Branch  (2)   72 

Chorlton  and  Ardvvick  Branch  (2) 88 

Ancoats  Branch  (2) 9^ 

Cheatham  Branch  (2) 104 

Reference  Library  (2) 120 

Deansgale  Branch  (2) 128 

Newton  Heath  Branch,  Library  168 

Rusholme  Branch,  Reading  Room    176 

Longsight  Branch,  Library 184 

Chester  Road  Reading  Room    192 

Gorton  Branch  (2)  200 

Harpurhey  Reading  Room 204 

Openshaw  Branch  (2) 208 

Moston  Branch,  Reading  Room 216 


PREFATORY   NOTE. 


This  tvork  is  issued  by  authority  and  under  the  direction  of 
the  Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries  Committee,  in  the  belief 
that  it  will  be  of  service  to  many  persons  who,  while  accustomed 
to  use  the  Free  Libraries,  are  yet  unacquainted  with  the  history 
and  full  resources  of  those  institutions  ;  and  also  in  the  hope 
that  many  of  those  who  have  not  yet  availed  themselves  of  the 
great  advantages  which  the  Libraries  offer  to  all  thoughtful 
people,  ivill,  by  a  perusal  of  its  co7itents — should  the  volume 
fall  i}ito  their  hands — be  induced  to  frequent  them. 

Another  desire  has  been  to  provide  answers,  as  far  as 
possible,  to  the  numerous  enquiries  with  regard  to  the  establish- 
ment and  working  of  tJie  Manchester  Free  Libraries  which 
are  constantly  being  received  from  those  interested  in  the 
pro?notion  of  such  institutions  in  the  United  Kingdom,  or 
abroad.  Much  of  the  information  usually  asked  for  will 
therefore  be  found  ivithin  the  following  pages,  yet  I  shall  ever 
deem  it  one  of  my  most  pleasing  duties  to  answer  any  further 
questio?is  or  to  attempt  the  resolutiofi  of  afiy  difficulties  or 
doubts  which  ?fiay  occur  to  those  interested  or  engaged  in 
advancing  the  ivell-being  of  public  libraries. 

CHARLES    W.   SUTTON, 

Chief  Librarian. 


Committee,  1898*9. 

Chairman— Alderman  JAMES  W.  SOUTHERN. 

Deputy-Chaikman— Councillor  PLUMMER. 

The  lord  MAYOR  (Councillor  W.  H.  VAUDREY). 

Councillor  GOLDSCHMIDT. 
GREENHOW. 
EDWARD  HOLT. 


Alderman  CROSFIELD. 

HOY. 

Sir  B.  T.  LEECH. 

MILLING. 

RAWSON. 
Councillor  BRADDON,  M.D 

W.  BRADLEY. 

CHADWICK. 

DALY. 


MOSS. 

OGDEN. 

ROTHWELL. 

W.  SIMPSON. 

SMETHURST. 

WARD. 


©fKcers. 

Chief  Librarian— CHARLES  WILLIAM  SUTTON. 
Deputy-Chief  Librarian— WILLIAM  ROBERT  CREDLAND. 

Superintendent  OF  Branches -LAWRENCE  DILLON. 
Assistant  Librarian,  Reference  Library— ERNEST  AXON. 

ILtbradans  of  tbe  :Krancb  %ibxaxics. 

Ancoats— EMILY  CASSERLY. 
Cheetham— FRANK  A.  BRINDLEY. 
Chorlton— ALFRED  HARROP. 
Deansgate— EMILY  TATTON. 
Gorton— WILLIAM  H.  COTGRAVE. 
HuLME— ROBERT  IRWIN. 
Longsight— RUTH  A.  BENTLEY. 
Newton  Heath— JANE  FINNEY. 
Openshaw— GEORGE  JONES. 
Rochdale  Road-BLANCHE  TWITTY. 
RusHOLME— HARRY  H.  BRADBURY. 


OF  The   ^ 


HISTORY 

OF   THE 

FREE   LIBRARY   MOVEMENT 

IN    MANCHESTER. 


FIRST    EFFORTS. 

BOUT  fifty  years  ago  there  began  in  Man- 
chester, and  finally  spread  throughout  the 
country,  a  strong  and  enthusiastic  agitation 
for  educational  reform.  The  Lancashire 
Public  School  Association,  and  soon  afterwards  the 
National  Public  School  Association,  were  formed,  v/ith  the 
object  of  making  elementary  education  secular  and  free. 
Their  members  worked  hard  and  earnestly,  but,  as  is  often 
the  case  with  any  important  political  reform,  the  attainment 
of  the  desired  result  was  long  delayed.  At  length,  more 
than  twenty  years  after  the  beginning  of  the  movement, 
the  main  points  of  the  Manchester  scheme  of  education, 
with  the  addition  of  compulsory  attendance  at  school  at 
the  option  of  the  local  authorities,  were  embodied  in  the 
Elementary  Education  Bill  of  1870,  and  became  the  law 
of  the  land. 


2  FIRST  EFFORTS. 

Simultaneously    with    this     development    of    public 
opinion   in   regard  to  education,  and  springing  naturally 
from    it,  there  arose   a    desire  for  the  establishment   of 
institutions   calculated   to    have   a   more   or   less   direct 
educational  influence,  which  should  resemble  the  contem- 
plated education  in  being  free,  and  should  help  to  carry  to 
a  higher  point  and  riper  perfection  the  instruction  gained 
in  the  schools.     Amongst  the  proposed  institutions  were 
free    Museums,    Art    Galleries,   and    Libraries.      Taking 
advantage  of  the  public  feeling,  Mr.  William  Ewart  intro- 
duced into  Parliament,  in  1850,  a  "Bill  for  enabling  Town 
Councils  to    establish    Public    Libraries    and    Museums." 
The   Bill   was    not   compulsory,   and   allowed    the    local 
authorities  to  levy  for  the  proposed  purposes  only  a  half- 
penny in  the  pound  on  the  annual  value  of  the  rateable 
property  in  the  district.     Even  of  this  sum  nothing  was 
to  be  spent  in  the  purchase  of  books.    This  most  cautious 
measure,  with  its  singular  restrictions,  was  passed  into  law 
in  August,  1850.     Almost  immediately,  at  the  suggestion 
of  John  Watts,  Ph.D.,  the  question  of  the  establishment 
of  a  Public  Library  in   Manchester  was  discussed  by  a 
number  of  influential  men,  one  of  the  most  active  spirits 
being  Mr.  (afterwards   Sir)   John   Potter,  who  was  then 
Mayor. 

He  headed  a  subscription  for  the  promotion  of  this 
design  and  the  sum  of  ^^"4,300  was  secured  before 
any  appeal  was  made  to  the  public.  The  Hall  of 
Science,  in  Campfield,  having  been  purchased  for  the 
purpose  of  conversion  into  a  library,  a  public  meeting 
was  called  therein  on  January  8th,  1851,  with  the 
object  of  informing  the  ratepayers  on  the  move- 
ment and  its  progress,  and  of  securing  the  establishment 
of  a  Public  Library  and  Museum.  At  this  meeting 
Mr.  Potter,  occupied  the  chair,  and  the  late  Dr.  James 


SPEECH   BY  /OSEPH   BROTHERTON.  3 

Prince  Lee,  Bishop  of  Manchester,  Dr.  G.  H.  Bowers, 
Dean  of  Manchester,  Rev.  John  Gooch  Robberds,  Mr. 
Joseph  Brotherton,  M.P.,  Mr.  (afterwards  Sir)  Thomas 
Bazley,  John  Watts,  and  other  gentlemen,  spoke  in 
favour  of  the  proposal,  and  a  committee,  with  Dr.  John 
Watts  and  John  Leigh,  M.R.C.S.,  as  secretaries,  was 
appointed  to  carry  on  the  work. 

In  the  course  of  his    able    and    sympathetic    speech 
Mr.  Joseph  Brotherton  said  : 

It  was  sometimes  said  that  the  people  do  not  know 
their  best  interests,  and  are  apt  to  misunderstand  their 
duties  ;  but  it  might  be  said  that  if  they  sometimes 
misunderstood  them,  they  might  not  be  acquainted  with 
them,  and  therefore  it  was  most  important  that  they 
should  be  instructed.  He  thought,  also,  that  the  wealthy 
required  a  better  instruction  as  well  as  the  masses  of  the 
community.  They  required  to  be  taught  what  the 
people  think,  what  is  really  their  best  interest,  and  he 
was  quite  certain  that  the  wealthy  of  this  neighbourhood 
had  no  stronger  interest  than  in  endeavouring  to  cultivate 
the  minds  of  the  great  masses  of  the  people.  The 
great  mass  of  the  people  were  certainly  endeavouring  to 
acquire  power,  and  must,  to  a  considerable  extent, 
influence  public  proceedings.  It  was,  therefore,  of  the 
greatest  importance  that  public  opinion  should  be 
enlightened,  where  it  had  so  much  power  in  making 
the  laws  ;  and,  therefore,  on  every  ground  it  was  the 
interest  of  the  community  to  encourage  public  libraries 
and  museums.  Of  what  use  was  it  that  persons  should 
learn  to  read  unless  they  have  the  opportunity  of  having 
books  which  they  may  read  ?  We  might  complain  of 
the  working  classes  being  misled,  but  when  they  had  the 
opportunity  of  going  to  a  well  selected  library,  and 
of  obtaining  all  the  information  that  is  necessary  for 
their  government,  of  course  their  minds  would  be 
opened,  they  would  see  their  real  interest,  and  this 
would  tend  to  promote  the  general  prosperity  of  the 
nation. 

The  first  efforts  of  the  Committee  were  directed  to 
the  adaptation  of  the  building  to  the  required  purpose. 


4  SELECTING    THE    BOOKS. 

and  to  canvassing  for  further  subscriptions.  The  sub- 
scriptions eventually  reached  the  large  sum  of  ;^  12,823, 
of  which  about  ;^8oo  was  raised  by  a  working  men's 
committee,  with  Mr.  W.  J.  Paul  as  secretary.  Whilst  these 
efforts  were  in  active  progress  the  purchase  of  books  was 
entrusted  to  Mr.  James  Crossley,  President  of  the  Chetham 
Society,  and  Mr.  Edward  Edwards,  of  the  British 
Museum,  who  had  been  selected  to  fill  the  post  of  chief 
librarian.  Books  to  the  number  of  18,000  were  bought, 
by  an  expenditure  of  ^^4,150,  and  about  3,300  volumes 
were  presented.  Efforts  were  also  made  to  obtain  from 
Government  a  grant  of  the  books  printed  at  the  public 
expense,  and  presumably,  therefore,  for  the  public 
enlightenment ;  but  they  met  with  imperfect  success,  and 
though  the  requests  have  from  time  to  time  been  repeated, 
such  a  grant  has  never,  save  in  a  very  partial  manner,  been 
made. 

In  selecting  the  works  intended  to  form  the  reference 
library  two  or  three  principal  objects  were  kept  in  view. 
One  of  these  was  the  creation  of  a  department  of 
Commerce,  Trade,  and  Manufactures;  and  another  that  of 
forming  a  collection  of  material  relative  to  Local  History, 
and  of  books  locally  printed,  or  written  by  natives  of  the 
city.  The  result  was  that  when  the  library  was  opened 
to  the  public  the  commercial  collection  numbered  over 
7,000  works,  and  the  local  one  more  than  500.  These 
efforts  have  never  been  relaxed,  one  valuable  outcome 
being  that  the  library  now  possesses  an  unrivalled  wealth 
of  local  literature. 

In  July,  1852,  the  Mayor  brought  the  question  of  the 
adoption  of  the  Libraries  Act  before  the  Town  Council, 
and  having  obtained  its  consent,  the  opinion  of  the  rate- 
payers was  sought  for  by  a  poll.  This  was  taken  on  the  20th 
August,  when  the  voting  showed  3,962  for  and  40  against 


LETTER    FROM    THE    PRINCE    CONSORT.  5 

the  adoption   of  the  Act,   out   of  a   register   of   12,500 

voters. 

Three  days  before  the  meetings  held  to  celebrate  the 

opening  of  the  library,  Prince  Albert  sent  a  donation  of 

eighteen  handsome  volumes,  with  a  letter  addressed  to  the 

Mayor,  as  follows  :  — 

Osborne,  August  25th,  1852. 
My  dear  Sir,— As  the  time  for  the  opening  of  the 
Manchester  Free  Library  is  drawing  near,  I  am  com- 
manded by  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  Albert  to 
repeat  to  you  his  regret  at  not  having  been  able  to  accept 
your  invitation  to  be  present  at  this  interesting  ceremony. 
In  order,  however,  not  to  let  the  day  pass  without  some 
testimony  of  the  sincere  interest  which  His  Royal  High- 
ness feels  in  your  undertaking,  he  has  caused  a  collection 
to  be  made  of  some  works,  which  he  trusts  may  prove  of 
interest  and  of  use  to  those  who  may  wish  to  study  them ; 
and  His  Royal  Highness  desires  that  they  may  be  freely 
accessible  to  persons  of  all  classes  without  distinction. 
His  Royal  Highness  directs  me  to  express  his  gratifi- 
cation at  seeing  Manchester  taking  the  lead,  as  in  many 
other  valuable  improvements,  in  giving  practical  appli- 
cation to  that  recent  but  important  act  of  the  Legislature, 
which  has  recognised,  for  the  first  time,  the  supply  of 
food  for  the  mind  as  among  those  necessaries  which  in 
this  country  are  so  amply  and  beneficially  supplied  to  the 
community  by  rates,  in  the  different  localities  voluntarily 
imposed  upon  the  property.  His  Royal  Highness  hopes  f 
that  the  example  thus  nobly  set  by  Manchester,  and  < 
which  His  Royal  Highness  knows  that  you  have  per- 
sonally so  zealously  promoted,  will  be  extensively 
followed  throughout  the  country.  The  books  will  be 
despatched  by  railway  at  the  same  time  as  this  letter. 
Believe  me,  my  dear  Sir,  sincerely  yours, 

C.  B.  Phipps. 

THE    INAUGURATION.— MORNING    MEETING. 

The  inaugural  meetings  were  held  on  September  2nd, 

1852,  in  the  Library  Building,  in  Campfield.     When  Sir 

John  Potter  took  the  chair  at  the  morning  ceremony  it 

was  for  him  a  proud  moment     He  had  worked  hard  and 


6  SPEECH   BY  SIR  JOHN   POTTER. 

earnestly  in  the  promotion  of  the  Institution,  it  had 
become  to  him  the  profoundest  interest  of  his  public  life, 
and  his  labour  had  now  reached  a  gratifying  and  noble 
fruition.  With  him  on  the  platform  were  Mr.  Thos.  Barnes 
then  Mayor  of  Manchester,  Sir  Edward  L.  Bulwer  Lytton, 
Mr.  F.  Ashton,  Mayor  of  Salford,  R.  Monckton  Milnes 
(afterwards  Lord  Houghton),  John  Bright,  M.P.,  Charles 
Knight,  the  publisher, W.M.Thackeray, Peter  Cunningham, 
editor  and  historian,  James  Crossley,  Frank  Stone,  artist, 
W.  H.  Wills,  dramatist,  the  Earls  of  Shaftesbury  and 
-^  Wilton,  Charles  Dickens,  Sir  James  Stephen,  Mr.  (after- 
wards Sir)  William  Brown,  of  Liverpool,  as  well  as  most 
of  the  early  promoters  mentioned  as  taking  part  in  the 
preliminary  meeting  of  January,  185 1. 

After  reading  a  report  prepared  by  Mr.  Edward 
Edwards,  detailing  the  history  of  the  institution  up  to  that 
moment.  Sir  John  Potter  made  a  characteristic  speech, 
saying  among  other  things  : 

I  think  we  may  congratulate  the  town  of  Manchester 
on  possessing  an  institution  which  promises  to  be  one  of 
so  much  future  usefulness.  I  am  quite  certain  that  we 
may  most  sincerely  and  most  warmly  congratulate  the 
ladies  and  gentlemen  who  are  present,  and  who  are 
inhabitants  of  Manchester,  that  this  institution  has  been 
deemed  worthy  of  the  support  of  the  distinguished  noble- 
men and  gentlemen  whom  I  have  the  honour  to  find 
around  me  on  this  occasion.  The  Committee  of  the 
Free  Library  have  undoubtedly  had  a  good  and  generous 
object  in  view  in  their  labours.  I  can  speak  most 
positively  to  the  effect  that  no  personal  objects,  and  no 
private  motives  have  been  attempted  to  be  served  in  the 
establishment  of  this  institution.  We  have  been  animated 
solely  by  the  desire  to  benefit  our  poorer  fellow-creatures. 
We  have  felt  that  the  poorer  classes  of  Manchester  have 
shown  themselves  to  be  well  worthy  of  any  sacrifice 
which  may  be  made  by  their  wealthier  fellow-citizens  for 
their  improvement,  for  their  moral  and  intellectual 
advancement.    Many  of  us  have  lived  long  in  Manchester 


SPEECH   BY   SIR  JOHN   POTTER.  7 

and  have  witnessed  the  conduct  of  the  working  classes 
in  times  of  difficulty  and  trial  ;  and  also  at  the  present 
time  of,  I  may  say,  universal  prosperity  and  comfort.  We 
have  seen  the  working-classes  when  their  passions  have 
been  inflamed,  when  they  have  been  suffering  from  severe 
and  protracted  distress.  We  have  seen  the  patience  with 
which  they  have  borne  their  sufferings,  and  the  admirable 
manner  in  which  the  great  body  of  that  class  has  support- 
ed the  authority  of  the  law.  We  have  found  them  on 
all  occasions,  I  believe,  ready  to  aid  authority,— I  speak, 
of  course,  of  the  great  body  of  the  working  classes, — in 
the  maintenance  of  order  and  the  public  peace  of  the 
town.  .  .  .  Recognising  then,  the  good  conduct  of  the 
working  classes,  it  is  the  duty  of  those  who  are  more 
favoured  by  fortune  than  they,  to  do  everything  in  their 
power  to  afford  additional  means  of  education  and 
advancement  to  those  classes.  We  have  seen  an  effort 
made  by  the  working  classes  themselves  for  the  establish- 
ment of  such  an  institution.  Those  who  will  not  help 
themselves  deserve  not  help  from  others ;  and  the 
greatest  confidence  that  we  can  have  in  the  future 
w.  11 -working  of  this  institution  is  in  the  fact  that 
those  for  whose  special  benefit  it  was  founded,  have 
shared  in  the  expenses  incurred  by  its  establishment; 
and,  I  believe  most  firmly,  the  Public  Library  of 
Manchester  will  be  valued  the  more,  because  ever}^  year 
each  ratepayer  will  be  called  upon  to  devote  his  mite, 
though  it  be  a  very  small  mite  indeed,  for  the  maintenance 
of  that  institution.  Some  people  are  inclined  to  maintain, 
and  I  believe  with  considerable  truth,  that  people  do  not 
value  things  that  are  mere  gifts  to  them.  I  think  it 
a  great  satisfaction  to  see  that  an  effort  of  this  kind, 
made,  certainly,  in  a  large  and  important  community, 
should  be  recognised,  valued,  sanctioned,  approved,  and 
promoted,  by  those  who  are  eminent  in  the  ranks  of  our 
statesmen  ;  and  by  those  who  occupy  so  important  a 
position  in  England  in  reference  to  our  literature,  in 
reference  to  science,  and  the  arts.  I  think  we  have  great 
reason  to  be  proud  that  Lord  Shaftesbury,  that  Lord 
Wilton,  that  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Manchester,  who  from 
the  first  has  done  his  utmost  to  promote  our  scheme, 
that  our  friend  Sir  Edward  Bulwer  Lytton,  that  Mr. 
Charles  Dickens,  that  Mr.  Thackeray,  that  our  friends  of 
the  Guild  of  Literature  and  Art,  that  the  members  of 


8  SPEECH  BY    THACKERAY. 

Parliament  for  various  important  localities,  should  have 
^  thought  it  worth  their  while,  by  their  presence  to  sanction 
and  approve  of  the  opening  of  this  institution.  As  an 
individual,  I  am  sure  that  I  feel  under  the  deepest 
obligations  to  those  noble  lords  and  gentlemen,  and  I 
am  quite  certain  that  I  may  take  upon  myself,  speaking 
for  the  community  of  Manchester  (and  I  think  I  have 
recently  in  connection  with  this  institution  been  vested 
with  something  like  a  right  to  speak  for  the  community 
of  Manchester,  when  I  said  that  I  believed  that  the 
popular  voice  was  in  favour  of  such  an  institution  as  this, 
and  the  response  to  our  appeal  was,  that  not  one  in  a 
hundred  could  be  found  that  had  a  word  to  say  against 
it,  or  that  dared  to  say  anything  against  it),  to  thank 
these  noble  lords  and  gentlemen  for  their  kindness  on 
this  occasion. 

In   his  Free   Town  Libraries^   Mr.   Edward  Edwards 
says : 

But  the  crowning  honour  was  the  presence  of  three 
masters  of  Literature — Charles  Dickens,W.  M.Thackeray, 
and  Lord  Lytton.  Each  of  these  eminent  writers 
expressed  himself  characteristically.  Thackeray — who 
could  utter  such  brilliant  and  incisive  sayings  across 
the  social  dinner-table — was  never  at  his  ease  in  speechi- 
fying at  a  public  meeting  ;  and  on  this  occasion  the 
sight  of  20,000  volumes  seemed  to  appal  him  more  than 
that  of  the  few  hundreds  of  auditors.  The  surrounding 
books  appeared  to  excite  such  a  crowd  of  thoughts  in 
his  mind  that  their  very  number  aiid  hurry  impeded 
their  outlet.  Enough  was  heard  to  make  one  feel  that 
what  he  had  to  say  was  excellent,  yet  he  could  not  say 
it.  He  sat  down  in  great  emotion,  and  with  an  un- 
finished sentence  on  his  lips. 

He  seconded  the  resolution  moved  by  Dickens  given  in 
the  report  of  his  speech  which  follows,  and  this  is  all  he  said : 

Sir  John  Potter,  ladies,  and  gentlemen.  The  cause  is  so 
good,  and  the  advocate  that  you  have  heard  upon  it  has 
addressed  you  with  an  eloquence  so  noble  and  so  heart- 
stirring,  that  it  is  useless  for  me  to  do  anything 
more  than  to  second  him  with  all  my  heart,  and  to  leave 
the  case  in  the  hands  of  this  great  jury.  Of  course, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  among  the  many  sanitary  and 
social  reforms  which  every  man  interested  in  the  public 


SPEECH   BY    THACKERAY.  9 

welfare  is  now  anxious  to  push  forward,  the  great 
measure  of  books  will  not  be  neglected  ;  and  we 
look  to  this,  as  much  as  we  look  to  air,  or  as  we  look  to 
light  or  to  water,  for  benefiting  our  poor.  If  books  do 
soothe,  and  cheer,  and  console — if  books  do  enlighten, 
and  enliven,  and  fortify — if  they  do  make  sorrow  bearable 
to  us.  or  teach  us  to  forget  or  to  endure  it, — if  they  do 
create  in  us  harmless  tears  or  happy  laughter, — if  they 
do  bring  forth  in  us  that  peace  and  that  feeling  of  good- 
will of  which  Mr.  Dickens  spoke  but  now,  and  which 
anybody  who  reads  his  books  must  have  felt  has  come 
from  them,  surely  we  will  not  grudge  these  inestimable 
blessings  to  the  poorest  of  our  friends  ;  but  will  try, 
with  all  our  might,  to  dispense  their  cheap  but  precious 
benefits  over  all.  Of  the  educated  mechanics,  of  course, 
it  is  not  my  business  to  speak,  or  even  my  wish  to 
pretend  to  be  an  instructor.  Those  who  know  the 
educated  mechanics  of  this  vast  city,  or  of  this  empire, 
are  aware  that  they  are  in  the  habit  of  debating  the 
greatest  literary  and  political  questions  among  them- 
selves; that  they  have  leisure  to  think  and  talent  to  speak 
much  greater  than  that  of  other  men  who  may  be  obliged, 
like  myself,  to  appear  for  a  moment  before  you  ;  they 
have  their  poets  and  their  philosophers  ;  their  education 
is  very  much  changed  from  that  of  a  hundred  years  ago, 
when,  if  you  remember,  Hogarth  represented  the  idle 
mechanic  as  occupied  with  '  Moll  Flanders,'  and  the 
good  mechanic  as  having  arrived  at  reading  the  history 
of  that  good  apprentice  who  was  made  Lord  Mayor  of 
London.  The  mechanics  of  our  days  have  got  their 
Carlyles  to  read,  their  Dickens  on  the  shelf,  and  their 
Bulwers  by  the  side  of  them.  It  is  now  to  the  very  poor, 
to  the  especially  poor,  that  this  resolution  we  have 
before  us  applies ;  and  I  am  sure  you  will  use  your 
endeavours  to  meet  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  intended, 
and  to  carry  the  contents  of  your  volumes  among  the 
cottages,  the  garrets,  and  the  cellars.  I  am  aware, 
gentlemen,  that  in  such  a  vast  collection  the  sort  of 
works  which  I  am  in  the  habit  of  writing  can  but 
occupy  a  very  small  space.  I  know  that  our  novels  ar6 
but  what  we  may  call  the  tarts  for  the  people  ;  wherea^ 
history  is  bread,  and  science  is  bread,  and  historical  and\ 
spiritual  truth  are  that  upon  which  they  must  be  fed. 
And  as  everyone  knows  that  with  every  fresh  book  that 


? 


lo  SPEECH   BY  DICKENS. 

is  written  a  new  desire  springs  up  for  better  and  better 
reading,  I  feel  sure  that  your  attempt  to  open  hitherto 
inaccessible  means  of  acquiring  knowledge  will  be 
attended  with  complete  success. — I  beg  to  second  the 
resolution. 

His  nearest  rival  in  the  realm  of  fiction,  Dickens, 
was,  on  the  other  hand,  perfectly  at  his  ease.  He  caused 
a  roar  of  laughter  by  a  pathetic  account  of  the  toils  he 
had  encountered  in  striving,  during  several  years,  to 
understand  the  meaning  of  the  current  phrase,  '  the 
Manchester  School'  He  had  run  up  and  down  imploring 
explanation.  Some  people  assured  him  that  it  was  '  all 
cant,'  and  others  were  equally  confident  that  it  was  '  all 
cotton.'  But  in  that  room  his  doubts  were  suddenly 
dispelled,  'The  Manchester  School,'  he  now  saw,  was 
a  library  of  books,  as  open  to  the  poorest  as  to  the 
richest.      His  speech  is  thus  reported  : 

I  have  been  so  much  in  the  habit,  within  the  last 
fortnight,  of  relying  upon  the  words  of  other  people, 
that  I  find  it  quite  a  novel  sensation  to  be  here  de- 
pendent solely  upon  my  own.  I  assure  you  I  feel  at 
this  moment  in  imminent  danger  of  sliding  into  the 
language  of  my  friend  who  addressed  you  last  [Lord 
Lytton]  and  from  the  mere  force  of  habit  I  rather  miss 
the  prompter.  For  this  reason  and  many  others  I  shall 
trouble  you  with  a  very  short  speech  indeed,  in  pro- 
posing the  resolution  with  which  I  have  the  honour  to 
be  entrusted.  It  so  perfectly  expresses  my  feelings  and 
hopes,  my  convictions  in  association  with  this  auspicious 
day,  that  I  cannot  do  better  than  read  it  to  you  at 
once  : — 

That    as    in    this    institution,    special    provision    has 

been  made  for  the  working  classes,  by  means  of 

a  free  lending  library,  this  meeting  cherishes  the 

earnest  hope  that  the  books  thus  made  available 

will  prove  a  source  of  pleasure  and  improvement 

^  in  the  cottages,  the    garrets,    and    the  cellars  of 

the  poorest  of  our  people. 

Limiting   what    I    shall   say  on  this  subject  to  two 

very  brief  heads,  I  would  beg  to  observe  firstly  that  I 


SPEECH    BY   DICKENS.  ii 

have  been  made  happy,  since  I  have  been  sitting  here 
by  the  solution  of  a  problem  which  has  long  perplexed 
me.  I  have  seen  so  many  references  made  in  news- 
papers, parliamentary  debates,  and  elsewhere  to  the 
'Manchester  School'  that  I  have  long  had  a  considerable 
anxiety  to  know  what  that  phrase  might  mean,  and 
what  the  Manchester  School  might  be.  My  natural 
curiosity  on  this  head  has  not  been  diminished  by  the 
very  contradictory  accounts  I  have  received  respecting 
that  same  School  ;  some  great  authorities  assuring  me 
that  it  was  a  very  good  one,  some  that  it  was  a  very  bad 
one  ;  some  that  it  was  very  broad  and  comprehensive  ; 
some  that  it  was  very  narrow  and  limited  ;  some  that 
it  was  '  all  cant,'  and  some  that  it  was  '  all  cotton.'  Now 
I  have  solved  this  difficulty  by  finding  here  to-day  that 
the  Manchester  School  is  a  great  free  school  bent  on 
carrying  instruction  to  the  poorest  hearths.  It  is  this 
great  free  school  inviting  the  humblest  workman  to 
come  in  and  be  a  student — this  great  free  school 
munificently  endowed  by  voluntary  subscriptions  in  an 
incredibly  short  space  of  time — starting  upon  its 
glorious  career  with  twenty  thousand  volumes  of  books 
— knowing  no  sect,  no  party,  and  no  distinction ; 
nothing  but  the  public  want  and  the  public  good. 
Henceforth  this  building  shall  represent  to  me) 
the  Manchester  School,  and  I  pray  to  heaven,  moreover, 
that  many  great  towns  and  cities,  and  many  high 
authorities  may  go  to  school  a  little  in  the  Manchester,- 
Seminary  and  profit  by  the  noble  lesson  that  it  teaches. 
In  the  second  and  last  place  allow  me  to  observe  that 
like  my  friend  Sir  Edward  Lytton,  I  exceedingly  regret 
my  inability  to  attend  that  other  interesting  meeting  in 
the  evening.  I  should  have  rejoiced  to  have  seen  in 
this  place  instead  of  myself,  and  to  have  heard  in  this 
place  instead  of  my  voice,  the  voice  of  a  working  man  of 
Manchester,  to  tell  the  projectors  of  this  spirited 
enterprise  with  what  feelings  he  and  his  companions 
regard  their  great  and  generous  recognition  here.  I 
should  have  rejoiced  to  hear  from  such  a  man,  in  the 
solid  and  nervous  language  in  which  I  have  often  heard 
such  men  give  utterance  to  the  feelings  of  their  breasts, 
how  he  knows  that  the  books  stored  here  for  his  behalf 
will  cheer  him  through  the  struggles  and  toils  of  his 
life — will  raise  him  in  his  self  respect — will    teach  him 


12  SPEECH   BY  LYTTON. 

that  capital  and  labour  are  not  opposed,  but  are  mutually 
dependent  and  mutually  supporting — will  enable  him  to 
tread  down  blinding  prejudices,  corrupt  misrepresent- 
ations, and  everything  but  the  truth  into  the  dust.  I 
have  long  been  in  my  sphere  a  zealous  advocate  for  the 
diffusion  of  knowledge  amongst  all  classes  and  conditions 
of  men — because  I  do  believe  with  all  the  strength  and 
might  with  which  I  am  capable  of  believing  anything, 
that  the  more  a  man  knows  the  more  amply  and  with 
the  more  faithful  spirit  he  comes  back  to  the  fountain  of 
all  knowledge,  and  takes  to  his  heart  the  great  and 
sacred  precept  '  on  earth  peace,  goodwill  towards  men.' 
And  well  assured  am  I  that  that  great  precept,  and 
those  other  things  I  have  hinted  at  as  pleasant  to  have 
heard  here  to-day  from  a  working  man,  will  rise  higher 
and  higher  above  the  beating  of  hammers,  the  roar  of 
wheels,  the  rattle  of  machinery,  and  the  rush  of  water, 
and  be  more  and  more  clearly  felt  through  every 
pulsation  of  this  great  heart,  the  better  known  and  used 
this  institution  is. 

No  speech  uttered  at  the  meeting  contained  words 
weightier  or  better  worth  remembering  and  pondering 
over  than  those  of  Lord  Lytton,  who  said  : 

In  rising  to  second  the  proposition  '  That  this  meet- 
ing witnesses  with  great  satisfaction  the  opening 
ceremony  of  the  Manchester  Free  Library,  and  desires  to 
express  its  entire  confidence  that  this  noble  institution 
will  effect  great  and  lasting  good  to  the  community  for 
generations  to  come,'  which  has  been  placed  before  you  in 
such  eloquent  and  touching  terms  by  the  Earl  of  Shaftes- 
bury, I  am  reminded  that  there  was  once  a  Scottish 
peasant  who  having  raised  himself  to  a  rank  in  the  eyes  of 
posterity  beyond  that  of  ordinary  princes,  desired  also  to 
raise  the  whole  class  which  he  ennobled  in  the  scale  of 
intellectual  nobility,  and  was  the  first  to  institute 
libraries  for  the  people  in  the  rural  districts  of  Scotland. 
That  peasant  was  Robert  Burns,  the  poet ;  and  when  I 
look  around  this  noble  hall,  and  this  large  assembly, 
when  I  know  that  behind  me  are  the  contributions  that 
come  from  the  palaces  of  your  kings  ;  when  I  see  that 
next  to  me  is  one  of  our  most  revered  dignitaries  of  the 
church ;  when  I  see  beyond  me  the  representatives  of  some 


SPEECH   BY   LYTTON.  13 

of  the  loftiest  houses  of  our  aristocracy ;  and  when  I  look 
upon  either  side,and  know  that  you  have  presentalso  repre- 
sentatives of  the  orders  of  literature  and  art ;  and  when 
I  look  before  me  and  see  an  array  that  I  confess  awes 
and  dazzles  me  more  than  all — composed  of  those  who 
are  never  absent  where  good  is  to  be  done, — I  own  I  do 
wish  that  Burns  could  have  foreseen  what  a  magnificence 
you  have  given  to  his  idea.  You,  Sir  John  Potter, 
whose  name,  when  I  first  entered  public  life,  as  borne  by 
your  late  lamented  uncle,  I  identified  with  beneficence 
and  public  spirit, — you,  in  whom  I  now  find  that  these 
virtues  are  hereditary  and  transmitted  ;  and  you,  the 
princely  merchants  and  manufacturers  of  Manchester, 
you  have  indeed  taken  up  the  idea  of  the  peasant,  and 
you  have  given  it  life  from  the  warmth  of  your  own 
generous  hearts.  I  confess  that  you  do  appear  to  me 
to  deserve  the  praise  which  was  implied  in  the  letter  of 
His  Royal  Highness  Prince  Albert,  for  you  have 
not  contented  yourselves  with  the  compulsory  rate 
which  obliges  you  to  provide  for  physical  poverty, 
but  you  have  voluntarily  contributed  to  diffuse 
amongst  the  poor  the  means  of  intellectual  wealth.  I 
confess,  however,  that  there  are  two  things  which  I  value 
still  more  than  even  this  library  itself,  and  the  one  is, 
the  generous  spirit  of  emulation  with  which  the  poor 
have  co-operated  with  you  for  their  own  improvement ; 
and  next,  the  proof  you  have  given  that  you  sympathise 
with  all  that  can  elevate  and  instruct  the  classes  whose 
industry  you  employ.  So  that  this  library  is  a  new, 
an  enduring,  and  a  truly  conservative  link  between  your 
wealth  and  their  labour,  between  the  manufacturer 
and  the  operative,  for  every  time  that  the  operative  shall 
come  into  this  library  he  will  feel  that  you  have  invited 
knowledge  to  be  the  impartial  arbiter  between  all  the 
duties  of  property  and  all  the  rights  of  labour.  The 
other  day  I  asked  the  enlightened  minister  of  the  United 
States  what  was  the  heaviest  rate  in  America  ;  and  he 
told  m^e,  rather  to  my  surprise,  that  the  poor-rate  in  some 
of  the  towns  was  almost  as  heavy  as  it  is  in  this  country ; 
but  he  said  that  the  largest  rate,  and  the  most  general, 
was  a  rate  for  the  purpose  of  education  ;  and  that,  said 
he,  is  a  rate  we  never  grumble  at,  because  it  is  in 
education  that  we  find  the  principle  of  our  safety.  But, 
gentlemen,  education    does    not  cease  when   we    leave 


4  SPEECH   BY   LYTTON. 

school.  Education,  rightly  considered,  is  the  work  of  a 
life,  and  libraries  are  the  schoolrooms  of  grown-up  men. 
I  was  exceedingly  touched  and  affected  when,  the  other 
day,  almost  upon  my  entrance  into  your  borough,  I  was 
taken  by  my  friend  and  amiable  host,  Sir  Elkanah 
Armitage,  to  see  the  library  and  museum  at  Peel  Park, 
which  I  believe  owes  as  much  to  the  philanthropy  of  my 
excellent  friend,  Mr.  Brotherton,  as  this  library  owes  to 
Sir  John  Potter.  I  was  moved  and  affected  when  I  saw 
so  many  intelligent  young  faces  bending  over  books 
with  such  earnest  attention,  and  when  I  felt  what  a 
healthful  stimulus  had  replaced  the  old  English  excite- 
ments of  the  ale  house  and  the  gin  palace.  I  do  wish 
that  I  could  have  been  present  at  the  meeting  this 
evening,  when  I  believe  that  the  mechanics  and 
operatives  themselves  will  be  here.  I  might  have 
had  much  to  say  to  them  as  to  the  direction  of  their 
studies,  which  I  should  not  presume  for  a  moment  to 
venture  to  an  assembly  like  the  present  ;  but  I  hope  that 
later,  at  some  other  occasion,  I  may  be  able  to  attend 
such  a  meeting,  composed  of  those  for  whose  benefit  this 
library  is  principally  intended,  and  that  as  one  who  for 
many  years  has  had  little  to  do  but  to  read,  I  may  offer 
them  some  suggestions  as  to  the  art  of  reading.  I 
confess,  gentlemen,  that  I  do  feel  a  most  anxious,  and  I 
may  say  a  solemn  interest  in  the  uses  which  may  be  made 
of  this  mighty  arsenal.  I  call  it  an  arsenal,  for  books  are 
weapons,  whether  for  war  or  for  self-defence  ;  and  per- 
haps the  principles  of  chivalry  are  as  applicable  to  the 
student  now  as  they  were  to  the  knight  of  old  to  defend 
the  weak,  to  resist  the  oppressor,  to  unite  humility  with 
courage,  give  to  man  the  service,  and  to  heaven  the  glory. 
These  are  the  duties  to  which  the  student  should  pledge 
himself  when  he  takes  up  the  weapons  and  puts  on  the 
armour.  What  minds  may  be  destined  to  grow  up  and 
flourish  under  the  shade  of  this  tree  of  knowledge  which 
you  have  now  planted,  none  of  us  can  conjecture  ;  but 
you  of  the  present  generation  have  nobly  done  your 
duty,  and  may  calmly  leave  the  result  to  time,  sure  that 
you  have  placed,  beside  the  sorrows  and  cares  and 
passions  of  this  common  sensual  life,  the  still  monitors 
that  instruct  our  youth,  that  direct  our  manhood,  and 
comfort  our  old  age.  Far  beyond  the  sphere  of  our 
daily  labour  you  have  opened   the  gates  of  that  world 


SPEECH   BY    R.    M.    MILNES.  15 

which,  h'ke  the  divine  poem  of  our  own  Milton,  goes  back 
to  the  infancy  of  creation,  and  forward  to  the  promise  of 
an  infinite  hereafter;  so  that  I  may  say  to  those  students 
whom  this  hbrary  will  call  forth  and  create — I  may  say 
to  them,  almost  in  the  very  words  with  which  that  poem 
concludes  : — 

That  world  is  all  before  you,  where  to  choose 
Your  place  of  rest.     Be  Providence  your  guide. 

Mr.  R.  Monckton  Milnes,  many  of  whose  poems 
have  now  become  familiar  possessions  treasured  of  all 
those  whose  hearts  are  gentle  and  pure  and  warm  with 
human  love  and  sympathy,  seems  to  have  possessed 
the  eye  of  a  seer  when  he  said  that  he  had  been  much 
impressed  by  the  statement  that  books  were  more  sought 
after  and  read  by  the  artisan  when  he  was  not  in  full 
employment,  and  that  he  saw  in  this  something  more  than 
met  the  eye.  The  actual  working  of  the  Public  Libraries 
has  proved  this  to  be  an  infallible  truth,  and  a  sure  gauge 
of  the  prosperity,  or  adverse  circumstances  of  the 
industrial  community,  and  even  of  the  nation.  An  extract 
from  his  speech  may  not  be  without  interest.     He  said  : 

I  think  it  impossible  to  overrate  the  political  utility 
of  such  an  institution  as  this.  Think  what  a  book 
is — what  each  one  of  these  volumes  is.  It  is  a  portion  of 
the  eternal  mind,  caught  in  its  process  through  the  world, 
stamped  in  an  instant,  and  preserved  for  eternity.  Think 
what  it  is  ;  that  enormous  amount  of  human  sympathy 
and  intelligence  that  is  contained  in  these  volumes  ;  and 
think  what  it  is  that  this  sympathy  should  be  communi- 
cated to  the  masses  of  the  people.  Compare  the  state  of 
the  man  who  is  really  well  acquainted  with  the  whole 
past  of  literature  upon  the  subject  on  which  he  is  speak- 
ing, and  with  which  his  mind  is  embued,  with  that  of  the 
solitary  artisan,  upon  whom  perhaps  the  light  of  genius 
has  dawned  in  some  great  truth — in  some  noble  aspira- 
tion, in  some  high  idea — resting  there,  unable  to  accom- 
plish itself,  unable  to  realise  its  meaning,  and  probably 
ending  in  nothing  but  discontent  or  despair.  Compare 
the  state  of  that  man,  such  as  he  would  be  without  books, 


i6  SPEECH   BY   R.    M.    MILNES. 

with  what  that  man  might  be  with  books,  so  that  it  is 
only  books  that  can  save  him  from  the  most  exaggerated 
conclusions,  from  the  falsest  doctrines,  and  all  those  evils 
which  may  damage  and  even  destroy  the  masses  of 
mankind.  It  is  only,  remember,  what  lies  in  these  books 
that  makes  all  the  difference  between  the  wildest 
socialism  that  ever  passed  into  the  mind  of  a  man  in  this 
hall,  and  the  deductions  and  careful  processes  of  the 
mind  of  the  student  who  will  sit  at  these  tables — who 
will  learn  humility  by  seeing  what  others  have  taught 
before  him  ;  and  who  will  gain  from  the  sympathy  of 
ages,  intelligence  and  sense  for  himself  Therefore,  I 
believe  that  this  is  one  of  the  chief  matters  for  which  we 
shall  be  proud  and  glad  of  this  institution.  I  believe, 
too,  that  even  in  the  mere  and  more  material  form  it 
will  be  of  the  greatest  advantage  to  this  population.  In 
the  committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  on  which  I  sat, 
and  of  which  a  gentleman  whose  name  should  not  go 
unmentioned  in  this  hall,  Mr.  Ewart,  was  chairman — and 
a  most  indefatigable  and  zealous  chairman  he  was — in 
that  committee,  among  the  great  amount  of  evidence 
brought  before  us  I  am  not  aware  that  any  one  sen- 
tence touched  me  more  than  the  evidence  given,  if  I 
remember  rightly,  by  some  person  intimately  connected 
with  the  manufacturing  districts,  that  books  were  a  good 
deal  more  sought  for  and  read  by  artisans  when  they 
had  short  time  and  less  work  than  when  they  were  in 
full  employment.  I  own  I  thought  that  I  saw  in  this 
something  more  than  met  the  eye.  I  saw  that  it  was 
possible  for  the  artisan  not  enjoying  the  full  produce  of  his 
strength  and  his  labour,  to  find  at  least  some  consolation 
for  the  increased  difficulties  and  self-denial  to  which  he 
was  subject  in  communing  with  the  minds  of  others 
through  the  various  channels  of  literature,  and  deriving 
perhaps  comfort  and  advantage  for  himself  in  seeing 
how  other  men  had  toiled  and  suffered  before  him,  and 
beginning  to  hope  for  the  future  time  by  seeing  how 
full  of  glorious  prospects  this  world  is  for  the  good  and 
the  industrious  man. 

THE    INAUGURATION.— EVENING    MEETING. 
The  meeting  held    in    the  evening  was   intended  to 
consist  chiefly  of  the  working  classes,  and  although  there 


WORKING  MEN'S  COMMITTEE  REPORT.  17 

were  many  others  present  the  industrial  element  was 
strongly  and  enthusiastically  represented.  Sir  John  Potter 
again  occupied  the  chair,  and  many  of  the  gentlemen  who 
had  taken  part  in  the  previous  proceedings  were  present, 
together  with  several  members  of  the  committee  of 
working  men  which  had  been  appointed  to  obtain  sub- 
scriptions in  aid  of  the  establishment  of  the  Library. 

The  proceedings  were  opened  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Paul,  the 
secretary  to  the  Working  Men's  Committee,  reading  the 
following  report : 

Report  of  the  Working    Men's    Committee    of 
THE  Manchester  Free  Library,  185 1-2. 

Mr.  Chairman,  Ladies,  and  Gentlemen, 

The  working  Men's  Committee  appointed  to  pro- 
mote a  Subscription  in  the  Warehouses,  Mills,  Manufac- 
tories, and  Workshops  of  the  borough  and  its  Vicinity  in 
aid  of  the  Funds  for  Establishing  the  Manchester  Free 
Library,  now  closing  its  Labours,  takes  this  opportunity 
of  presenting  its  report. 

The  first  meeting  of  this  Committee  was  held  at  the 
Town  Hall  of  Manchester,  on  Tuesday  evening,  the 
nth  of  February,  i85i,and  at  that  time  Subscriptions 
had  been  received  by  the  General  Committee  from 
several  Factories,  Workshops^  &c.,  amounting  to  about 
^35  OS.  od.,  and  it  was  then  evident  that  a  considerable 
number  of  the  working  Classes  felt  a  deep  and  earnest 
Interest  in  the  Establishment  of  the  proposed  Institution, 
fully  convinced  of  its  future  success,  and  having  no 
doubt  of  the  Beneficial  Influence  it  would  exercise  upon 
men  of  all  Classes,  especially  upon  the  Artizans. 

But  it  was  also  apparent  that  comparatively  little 
aid  could  be  thus  obtained  unless  some  special  organiza- 
tion was  provided  for  the  purpose  of  diffusing  Informa- 
tion on  the  subject,  and  of  Instituting  an  active  canvas 
for  donations.  Hence  the  origin  of  the  Working  Man's 
Committee. 

Since  that  period  the  Committee  has  held  82 
Meetings  at  which  a  weekly  report  of  the  progress  of 

B 


8  WORKING  MENS  COMMITTEE  REPORT 

Subscriptions  has  been  made,  and  printed  Forms  for  the 
Entry  of  Subscribers  names  have  been  issued  to  parties 
who  consented  to  receive  them  and  promised  to  promote 
the  object,  which  consent  had  been  previously  obtained 
either  by  the  Agent  of  the  Committee  or  the  personal 
Canvas  of  Individual  Members. 

In  this  manner  882  Subscription  Sheets  have  been 
issued  to  227  different  Establishments  in  the  Borough 
and  its  vicinity,  and  which  may  be  briefly  classified 
thus  : — 

Machinists,  Builders,  Mills  &  Manufactories,  Ware- 
houses and  Curriers,  Friendly  Societies  orders,  &c., 
Sunday  Schools,  and  Mutual  Improvement  Societies. 

And  sums  collected  by  the  Committee  from  Private 
Individuals. 

The  various  items  collected  from  these  sources  are  as 
follow  : — 

£     s.     d. 

From  d^   Establishments  of  Machinists 
and  Builders  -------- 

From  83  Manufactories  and  Mills     - 

From  54  Warehouses  and  Carriers  -     ■ 

From   14  Friendly  Societies  Orders,  &c., 

&c.   -----------     132     o     6 

From    10  Sunday    Schools,  and    Mutual 

Improvement  Societies       -     -     -     -       37     3     7 

And  sums  collected   by  the    Committee 

from  private  Individuals     -     -     -     -       62    16     3 

813  18  o 
The  aggregate  amount  of  subscriptions  thus  obtained 
since  the  nth  of  February,  185 1,  is  ;^773  9s.  lod.,  in 
addition  to  a  sum  of  ^39  14s.  2d.,  contributed  by  parties 
who  did  not  take  canvasing  sheets  but  hearing  that  the 
working  Classes  were  contributing  their  mites  and  duly 
impressed  with  the  Stirling  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  such  an  Institution  very  kindly  put  the  matter 
before  the  notice  of  several  Trade  Societies,  &c.,  from 
whom  the  Committee  received  the  before  named  sum 
without  in  some  instances  even  being  sought  after.  In 
addition  also  to  the  two  sums  before  mentioned 
with  that  of  ^35  os.  od.  previously  collected  Make  the 
Total  Amount  subscribed  by  the  Industrial  Classes, 
^813  1 8s.  od. 


217 

13 

8 

213 

7 

7 

150 

16 

5 

WORKING  MENS  COMMITTEE  REPORT.  19 

The  exact  i-uumber  of  Subscribers  cannot  be  stated 
with  precision,  but  may  be  safely  estimated  at  22,000. 

This  being  a  brief  Summary  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  Working  Men's  committee  they  would  before  drawing 
its  history  to  a  close  express  their  most  grateful  and 
sincere  thanks  to  the  Chairman  and  the  general  Com- 
mittee for  the  active  and  energetic  Labour  they  have 
bestowed  on  the  Institution  ;  who  not  only  have  ren- 
dered an  efficient  Service  by  contributing  their  hand- 
some donations  along  with  other  Gentlemen,  but  also 
shown  how  deeply  they  have  sympathized  in  the 
elevation  and  refinement  of  the  Working  Classes  by 
giving  so  much  of  their  Valuable  time  and  counsil 
towards  the  carrying  out  of  this  most  desirable  object, 
no  doubt  fully  impressed  with  the  assurance  that  in- 
creased information  will  be  the  surest  guide  in  establishing 
a  spirit  of  Unanimity  amongst  the  Working  Classes 
and  by  so  doing  raise  the  Character  of  the  operative  to 
his  true  position  in  society  and  teach  him  to  discriminate 
between  Right  and  Working  good  and  evil.  There 
cannot  be  a  doubt  that  the  promoters  of  this  Noble 
Institution  are  duly  sensible  that  Each  Department  will 
fully  sustain  its  Character  as  an  efficient  Agent  in  the 
social  and  mental  Improvement  of  those  for  whom  it 
was  designed,  tending  as  it  must  do  to  the  Elevation  of 
our  Race  in  spreading  peace  on  earth  and  good  will 
towards  men,  thus  inculcating  a  higher  Standard  of 
Morality  which  will  indeed  benefit  all  mankind.  The 
Committee  in  concluding  this  report  beg  to  offer  their 
grateful  acknowledgement  to  those  of  their  fellow 
Townsmen  who  have  kindly  assisted  them  in  Canva3sing 
their  several  places  of  Employment  and  using  their 
Influence  in  aid  of  the  object  which  the  Committee  hope 
they  will  now  have  the  pleasure  to  enjoy,  but  though  it 
highly  appreciates  the  services  thus  rendered  it  cannot 
but  regret  the  Lukewarm  feeling  and  very  great  coldness 
with  which  a  many  of  their  fellow  workmen  have 
received  their  addresses  and  even  refused  to  contribute 
their  mite  towards  the  consumation  of  this  great  object. 
The  committee  are  fully  assured  that  those  who  have 
felt  an  Interest  in  this  cause  may  now  avail  themselves 
of  the  Facilities  for  Instruction  which  the  Manchester  Free 
Library  will  afford,  and  it  will  be  with  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing    that    they    are    about    to    reap    the    Fruit    of 


to  WORKING  MEN'S  COMMITTEE  REPORT. 

Labours  in  which  they  and  the  Committee  have  borne 
some  share  Thus  enriching  their  mental  capabilities 
with  that  stock  of  useful  knowledge  which  all  men  should 
be  in  possession  of  The  purposes  of  such  an  Edifice  as 
Manchester  can  now  boast  of,  and  the  property  within  its 
walls  the  Committee  hope  will  tempt  men  to  shun  those 
haunts  of  Vice,  Wretchedness,  and  degradation,  those  dens 
of  Infamy  and  shame  which  not  only  tend  to  brutalize 
man's  nature,  but  blunt  and  harden  those  finer  qualities, 
those  God  like  feelings  with  which  all  men's  minds  should 
be  endued.  But  they  hope  to  see  this  room  thronged  with 
eager  readers  in  search  of  some  hidden  truth,  and  to 
imprint  with  an  indellible  impression  upon  their  minds 
some  of  the  Physical  Laws  which  govern  the  universe. 
For  here  may  the  Mechanic,  Architect,  and  Builder  (with 
the  matter  which  is  at  their  command)  enrich  their 
Intellect  by  the  solution  of  some  new  problem  or  wrestle 
from  the  dark  chaos  of  mystery  some  fresh  and  vivid 
Idea,  which  may  enhance  the  physical  qualities  of  their 
labour.  Here  may  the  poet,  philosopher,  and  politician 
find  invigorating  food  for  the  mind  by  revelling  in  all  the 
sublimity  of  thought  and  Grandeur  of  Ideas  expounded 
to  us  by  those  who  have  left  behind  them  immortal 
records  of  admonition  which  no  time  can  obliterate.  Let 
it  be  remembered  that  there  is  no  Earthly  treasure  (save 
health)  that  can  out-value  a  mind  replete  with  practical 
knowledge  and  information.  There  is  no  reverse  of 
fortune  can  rob  the  labourer  of  that  precious  Gem  a 
sound  and  Intelligent  mind.  Here  then  is  an  endearing 
consolation  for  the  poor  man  to  fall  upon  when  all  the 
Bright  and  Glowing  Scenes  of  this  world  shall  have 
faded  from  his  view  and  left  his  body  prostrated  and  en- 
feebled ;  his  spirit  may  again  revive  when  he  shall 
think  that  there  is  yet  left  in  this  life  all  that  he  may 
require  to  know  for  the  well-being  of  his  present  and 
future  existence  to  make  him  that  which  Divine  ordina- 
tion intended  he  should  be  The  reflective,  intellectual, 
and  moral  man.  Nothing  can  be  more  conducive  to  the 
prosperity  of  a  Nation  than  the  refined  understanding  of 
a  Moral  and  Intelligent  people,  ever  bearing  in  remem- 
brance that  the  sole  end  and  aim  of  their  existence 
here  should  be  to  leave  this  World  better  than  they 
found  it. 

This,  Mr.  Chairman,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen,  concludes 


SPEECH  BY  JOHN  BRIGHT.  21 

our  brief  History,  and  trusting  that  it  may  be  accepted 
with  the  same  views  that  it  is  most  respectfully  offered. 

I  now  beg  to  present  this  report  on  behalf  of 
The  Working  Men's  Committee  of  the  Manchester 
Free  Library. 

Wm.  Jas.  Paul. 
September  2nd,  1852. 

Amongst  the  speakers  were  the  Bishop  of  Manchester, 
the  Earl  of  Shaftestkiry,  John  Bright,  M.P.  for  Manchester, 
W.  M.  Thackeray,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Vaughan,  Joseph 
Brotherton,  M.P.,  R.  Monckton  Milnes,  and  Dr.  John 
Watts.  John  Bright  made  a  speech  not  unworthy  of  the 
great  tribune,  and  some  of  its  more  memorable  thoughts 
here  follow : 

From  the  moment  when  the  project  of  this  library 
was  first  launched  by  our  respected  Chairman,  I  must 
admit  that  its  name  alone  had  a  great  charm  to  my 
mind.  A  library  in  itself,  if  you  come  to  think  of  it, 
conveys  a  whole  world  to  the  mind.  The  worst  of  a 
great  and  good  library  is  this  :  That  it  creates  cravings 
in  an  intelligent  mind  which  time  and  opportunity 
during  life  seem  never  to  allow  us  wholly  to  satisfy. 
In  this  very  room  you  have  a  collection  of  books  which, 
if  monarchs  were  great  readers,  which  I  believe  they  are 
not  very  often  found  to  be,  monarchs  themselves  might 
envy.  You  have  here  all  that  can  please  the  imagination 
in  the  best  works  of  fiction  and  in  works  of  poesy.  You 
have  here  books  of  science  which  will  show  you  the  steps 
by  which  every  well-employed  and  fairly-paid  man  in 
Manchester  at  this  moment  is  a  partaker  of  numerous 
comforts  which  were  denied  to  the  nobles  and  the  richest 
of  the  land,  but  two  or  three  centuries  ago.  You  have 
books  too  of  history,  which  point  out  to  you  succinctly  the 
stages  by  which  nations  have  risen,  and  by  which — and  it 
is  a  melancholy  picture — many  nations  have  fallen.  You 
can  learn  whereby  statesmen  and  monarchs  have  done 
well  for  those  over  whom  they  ruled  ;  and  many,  many 
cases,  in  which  there  have  been  calamities  to  the  countries 
over  which  they  unhappily  had  sw^ay.  You  have  another 
class  of  books  ;  and  if  I  were  permitted  to  ask  your 
attention  to  one  class  especially,  it  would  be  to  that  class 


.2  SPEE  CH  BY  JOHN  BRIGHT. 

which  gives  you,  not  so  much  directly  the  history  of 
nations,  as  the  history  of  those  great  and  good  men, — for 
none  are  truly  great  who  are  not  good — whose  lives 
illustrate  the  history  of  the  various  nations  of  the  world. 
To  young  men  especially,  I  would  recommend  the  study 
of  works  of  biography.  Unfortunately  it  is  the  class  of 
reading  which  is  probably  accomplished  the  least  ably 
and  satisfactorily  ;  but  still  there  are  in  this  library  scores, 
and  probably  hundreds  of  admirable  works  of  biography, 
which  you  may  read  with  the  greatest  benefit ;  and  I  may 
say  for  myself,  that  there  is  no  description  of  reading  from 
which  I  rise,  as  I  can  myself  discover,  more  improved  by 
the  reading  I  have  been  engaged  in,  than  when  I  rise 
from  the  study  of  the  biography  of  great  and  good  men. 
But  this  library  is  a  free  library.  There  is  in  the  very 
term  something  which  is  catching  to  many  people  ;  but  I 
love  it  because  here  it  shows,  that  there  is  not  only  a  great 
harmony  among  the  various  classes  of  this  community, 
but  that  they  who  have  subscribed  the  money  for 
establishing  this  institution  have  the  most  undoubted  faith 
that  they  can  invite  with  propriety  all  classes,  even  the 
humblest  of  their  fellow  townsmen,  to  partake  of  the  rich, 
the  inexhaustible  treat  which  is  here  provided  for  them  ; 
knowing  that  the  property  now  on  their  shelves  will, 
in  all  probability,  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of  a  hundred, 
be  as  much  valued  and  taken  care  of  in  the  cottage  of 
the  workman  as  in  the  mansion  of  the  employer.  There 
are  two  aspects  with  which  I  have  been  much  impressed 
to-day  in  considering  the  operation  and  results  of  this 
library.  First  of  all,  with  regard  to  its  influence  upon 
family  comfort  and  happiness — my  experience  has  con- 
vinced me  that  one  main  cause  of  the  unhappiness  which 
parents  in  all  classes,  and  perhaps  most  among  the 
humblest  classes,  suffer  from  the  ill-doings  or  evil  courses 
of  their  children,  as  they  grow  up — that  one  main  cause 
of  this  is  the  absence  of  any  pursuit  for  the  mind,  for  the 
interest,  and  for  the  faculties  of  their  children.  I  believe 
that  if  any  working  man  could  prevail  upon  his  son,  as 
he  grew  up,  to  devote  his  faculties  in  his  leisure  hours  to 
any  innocent  and  honourable  pursuit — to  the  study  of 
any  science,  to  the  reading  of  any  particular  branch  of 
literature — if  his  mind  could  become  so  deeply  interested 
that  he  was  never  satisfied  with  what  he  had  learned, 
but  always  wanted  to  learn   something  more  upon  that 


SPEE  CH  BY  JOHN  BRIGHT.  23 

particular  question — there  is  scarcely  anything,  there  is 
nothing  but  strong  religious  convictions — that  is  so 
likely  to  prevent  such  a  youth  from  falling  into  evil 
courses,  and  become  a  source  of  degradation  to  himself 
and  of  unhappiness  to  his  parents  and  friends.  The 
other  aspect  is  that  which  has  already  been  briefly 
touched  upon  ;  and  it  refers  rather  to  the  political  and 
public  results  of  institutions  such  as  this.  I  am  not  now 
here,  and  should  not  for  a  moment  think  of  doing  such  a 
thing,  to  introduce  anything  in  the  shape  of  a  political 
question  that  could  raise  controversy  ;  but  the  fact  need 
not  be  concealed  that  during  the  last  twenty  years  there 
has  been  growing  a  power  in  this  country  that  every  day 
speaks  in  a  more  and  more  audible  voice  to  the  Govern- 
ment ;  and  whoever  be  in  office,  we  find  almost  an  equal 
deference  to  the  plain  and  unmistakeable  expression  of 
the  public  will.  Now,  this  is  the  aspect  which  appears 
to  me  almost  the  most  important  under  which  we 
can  view  this  Free  Library.  Nothing  can  prevent 
political  power  being  more  and  more  spread  among  the 
people  ;  but  it  is  of  great  consequence  that  in  every  man 
here,  however  humble  his  position,  or  any  other  man  out 
of  this  place,  as  well  as  the  richest  and  the  highest, — 
that  wherever  political  power  is  deposited,  there  should 
be  w^isdom  and  virtue  so  to  exercise  it  that  this  great 
country  may  remain  not  only  great,  but  may  become 
every  year,  and  every  generation,  greater  in  all  those 
things  which  go  to  ennoble  a  State,  and  to  spread 
permanent  happiness  among  a  people  Now,  I  regard 
this  as  a  great  day  for  Manchester.  I  think  that  we 
shall  not  hear  hereafter  of  those  dread  suspicions  in 
London,  that  there  is  some  'mine'  in  Manchester — I 
do  not  mean  a  gold  mine,  but  a  mine  that  is  going  to 
explode  and  turn  the  country  into  anarchy.  Some 
twenty  or  thirty  years  ago,  it  was  the  custom  to  ask  at 
Court,  if  anybody  came  from  the  North  of  England, 
'whether  everything  was  quiet  at  Manchester.'  Why 
everything  is  quiet  in  Manchester  except  the  shuttles 
and  the  spindles,  and  the  forges,  and  the  minds  of  the 
people.  There  is  no  rest  here  for  them.  Allusion  was 
made  this  morning  to  the  teaching  of  this  new  '  Man- 
chester School'  "Well,  let  us  teach.  We  have  thought 
some  things,  which  almost  all  sensible  men  have  agreed 
to  be  right  and  worth  learning.       Let  us  now,  when  all 


24  WHA  T  TH ACKER  A  Y  MEANT  TO  SA  Y. 

classes  of  this  community  have  clubbed  together  their 
givings  into  one  common  fund  to  raise  this  institution 
let  us  now,  if  it  be  possible,  fix  for  ourselves  higher  aims 
and  attain  nobler  results  than  heretofore.  I  am  satisfied 
that  there  are  many  men  in  this  room  who  will  live  to 
bless  the  day,  for  themselves  and  their  families,  when 
this  institution  was  opened.  And  those  who  come  after 
us  will  look  back  with  infinite  and  grateful  satisfaction 
to  the  munificence,  the  intelligence,  and  the  harmony, 
too,  which  prevailed  among  this  community  in  the  year 
1 8 152,  when  this  institution  was  established. 

In  his  Yesterdays  with  Authors,  Mr.  James  T. 
Fields,  the  American  publisher,  has  preserved  some  enter- 
taining reminiscences  of  Thackeray's  visit  to  Manchester 
on  this  occasion.  That  the  great  novelist  was  deeply 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  ceremony  he  was 
asked  to  participate  in  is  as  evident  from  these  jottings 
as  it  is  pleasing.  He  induced  Mr.  Fields  to  accompany 
him,  and  all  the  way  from  London  he  was,  says  Mr. 
Fields : 

Discoursing  of  certain  effects  he  intended  to  produce 
on  the  Manchester  dons  by  his  eloquent  appeals  to 
their  pockets.  This  passage  was  to  have  great  in- 
fluence with  the  rich  merchants,  this  with  the  clergy,  and 
so  on.  He  said  that  although  Dickens  and  Buhver  and 
Sir  James  Stephen,  all  eloquent  speakers,  were  to 
precede  him,  he  intended  to  beat  each  of  them  on  this 
special  occasion.  He  insisted  that  I  should  be  seated 
directly  in  front  of  him,  so  that  I  should  have  the  full 
force  of  his  magic  eloquence.  .  .  .  The  three  speeches 
which  came  before  Thackeray  was  called  upon  were 
admirably  suited  to  the  occasion  and  most  eloquently 
spoken.  Sir  John  Potter,  who  presided,  then  rose,  and, 
after  some  complimentary  allusions  to  the  author  of 
Vanity  Fair,  introduced  him  to  the  crowd,  who 
welcomed  him  with  ringing  plaudits.  As  he  rose  he 
gave  me  a  half-wink  from  under  his  spectacles,  as  if  to 
say,  '  Now  for  it ;  the  others  have  done  very  well,  but  I 
will  show  'em  a  grace  beyond  the  reach  of  their  art' 
He  began   in  a  clear  and  charming  manner,  and  was 


IVHA  T  THACKERA  Y  DID  SA  V.  25 

absolutely  perfect  for  three  minutes.  In  the  middle  of 
a  most  earnest  and  elaborate  sentence  he  suddenly 
stopped,  gave  a  look  of  comic  despair  at  the  ceiling 
crammed  both  hands  into  his  trousers  pockets,  and 
deliberately  sat  down.  Everybody  seemed  to  understand 
that  it  was  one  of  Thackeray's  unfinished  speeches,  and 
there  were  no  signs  of  surprise  or  discontent  among  his 
audience.  He  continued  to  sit  on  the  platform  in  a 
perfectly  composed  manner;  and  when  the  meeting 
was  over  he  said  to  me  without  a  sign  of  discomfiture, 
'  My  boy,  you  have  my  profoundest  sympathy  ;  this  day 
you  have  accidentally  missed  hearing  one  of  the  finest 
speeches  ever  composed  for  delivery  by  a  great  British 
orator.'  And  I  never  heard  him  mention  the  subject 
again. 

At  the  evening  meeting,  inspired  doubtless  by  the 
presence  of  a  representative  body  of  that  "  great  dumb 
mass  "  of  the  people  which  always  had  for  Thackeray  a 
peculiar  fascination  he  asked  permission  to  speak.  The 
words  he  then  said  to  the  artisans  of  Manchester  were 
intensely  Thackerayean,  and  therefore  worthy  of  preserva- 
tion. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen, — I  asked  leave  to  address 
you,  not  because  I  know  how  to  speak,  but  because  I 
think  I  have  something  to  say  which  arises  out  of  the 
speeches  we  have  heard  just  now  delivered,  in  a  very 
different  strain,  and  in  an  eloquence  much  noblef  and 
loftier  than  any  that  I  can  aspire  to.  You  perhaps  know 
that  my  calling  in  life  is  that  of  a  maker  of  novels,  a  poor 
fabulist,  whose  good,  so  far  as  he  can  do  it,  is  to  represent 
the  truth  as  ably  as  he  can,  and  to  find  at  the  end  of  his 
work  a  moral  for  his  fable.  If  I  had  to  write  a  novel 
now,  gentlemen,  or  to  make  a  fable  out  of  what  is  the 
reality,  I  would  recur  to  books  which,  of  course,  I  am  in 
the  habit  of  reading,  as  I  am  obliged  to  read  them  ;  I 
would  refer  to  some  novels  which  a  great  number  of 
you,  I  dare  say,  have  read,  and  which  I  hope  will  never 
be  upon  any  shelf  of  this  library — I  would  refer  to  a 
very  celebrated  French  novel,  which  some  of  you  have 
seen,  and  a  very  celebrated  English  novel,  which  I  know 
has  been  sold  by  tens  of  thousands  throughout  all  the 


26  WHA  T  THA  CKERA  Y  DID  SA  Y. 

towns  of  the  world.  The  novels  bear  the  same  title  ; 
one  is  called  Les  Mysteres  de  Londres  or  The 
Mysteries  of  London  ;  that  is  the  Parisian  title  ;  and 
the  title  is  the  same,  I  believe,  of  the  English  one.  In 
the  Mysteres  de  Londres  1  found  a  comic  story  which 
I  think  has  rather  a  serious  moral  connected  with  it.  The 
famous  French  writer,  who  passed,  I  have  no  doubt,  a 
fortnight  in  our  metropolis,  and  who  described  our 
manners  to  a  '  T  '  afterwards,  supposes  himself  at  the 
Italian  opera  in  London  ;  and  he  describes  as  seated  in  the 
omnibus  box,  my  lord  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbur}' 
witnessing  the  ballet  and  delighting  in  the  gyrations  of 
the  dancers  ;  while  all  his  ecclesiastical  business  was  per- 
formed by  a  curate  with  ;^200  a  year.  I  pledge  myself  to 
the  exactness  of  the  quotation,  if  anyone  will  refer  to  the 
venerable  work  in  question.  With  regard  to  the 
Mysteries  of  London,  I  have  only  twice  in  my  life 
engaged  in  a  perusal  of  a  part  of  that  astonishing 
romance.  On  the  first  occasion,  going  through  Brighton, 
and  passing  by  the  Brighton  Station,  I  purchased 
sixpennyworth  of  this  profusely  illustrated  document ; 
and  I  found  that  all  through  the  sixpennyworth 
the  august,  religious,  and  gracious  King  his  late 
Majesty  George  IV.,  whom  I  mention,  I  need  not 
say,  in  terms  of  the  deepest  respect  and  grief — his 
late  Majesty  George  IV.  was  engaged,  all  through  the 
sixpennyworth  of  numbers,  in  contriving  the  most 
atrocious  schemes  against  the  welfare  of  the  female  citi- 
zens of  the  middle  and  lower  classes.  I  lost  sight  of  that 
book  for  two  years  ;  and  again  going  upon  the  Brighton 
Railway — I  indulged  in  sixpennyworth  of  the  forbidden 
joy  ;  and  after  two  years,  I  give  you  my  honour,  I  found 
his  late  lamented  Majesty  George  IV.  still  going  on 
with  the  same  atrocious  games  which  had  frightened  me 
on  the  former  occasion.  And  not  only  was  the  prince 
so  engaged,  but  every  nobleman  of  his  court  was  similarly 
occupied  in  destroying  the  peace  of  mind  of  inferior 
parties  around  him  ;  and  every  knight  was  emulating 
every  nobleman  ;  and,  in  fact,  the  whole  upper  world 
was  supposed  to  be  in  an  immense  and  corrupt  conspiracy 
against  the  lower  world,  of  which  you  and  I  form  a  part. 
The  moral  of  the  story,  gentlemen,  and  of  my  fable, 
comes  now — and  has  been  spoken  to  you,  I  think,  in  the 
noblest  and  most    generous    language    by    the    revered 


INAUGURAL  EPIC.  27 

prelate  and  by  the  beloved  nobleman  who  have  just 
addressed  you.  Do  you  believe  that  these  men  are 
occupied  in  examining  dancers  from  opera  boxes,  or  in 
contriving  ruin  for  ladies'  maids  ?  Do  you  not  believe 
that  these  men  are  honest  as  yourselves,  generous  as 
yourselves,  friendly  as  yourselves,  eager  to  help  you,  and 
eager  to  grasp  the  hand  which  I  hope  you  are  eager  to 
tender  to  them  ?  I  have  passed  many  a  year  of  my 
time  as  a  liberal  writer  ;  I  am  not  going  to  recall  the 
sentiments  which  have  been  uttered  by  me  in  former 
days,  not  all  of  them  ;  but,  thank  God,  I  have  lost  a 
great  deal  of  the  ill-feelings  which  I  felt  in  former  days  ; 
thank  God,  that  with  a  greater  experience  I  have  a 
greater  charity  ;  and  it  is  from  this  only — from  my  feeling 
that  our  cause,  that  your  cause,  my  cause,  and  their 
cause,  are  in  common,  that  I  have  dared  to  address  you 
to-night. 

INAUGURAL   EPIC. 

It  should  also  not  be  permitted  to  pass  unrecorded 
that  a  theme  so  rich  in  picturesque  and  impressive  sugges- 
tiveness  as  the  dedication  to  the  public,  for  its  free  and 
unrestricted  use  for  ever,  of  an  ample  and  worthy  gathering 
of  whatever  was  then  the  best  in  the  world's  literature, 
gave  birth  to  not  a  little  lyrical  rhapsody.  The  spark 
of  poesy  it  generated  in  the  mind  of  Mr.  George  Hatton 
wrought  in  him  to  such  fine  issues  that  he  commemorated 
the  inauguration  in  heroic  verse  extending  to  forty-eight 
pages  of  a  i6mo  pamphlet.  It  is  thus  entitled,  The 
Inauguration  of  the  MancJiester  Free  Library^  September 
2nd,  18^2.  A  Poem,  by  George  Hatton,  and  the  imprint 
reads  "  Manchester :  The  Author,  6  and  7,  Greenwood 
Street,  Corporation  Street,  1853."  This  epic  is  dedicated 
"to  Sir  John  Potter,  Knight,  the  originator  and  munificent 
supporter  of  the  Manchester  Free  Library,"  and  the  lyrist 
speaks  of  it  as  a  "  humble  tribute,"  prompted  by  "  a  sincere 
admiration  of  the  benevolent  feelings  which  suggested, 
and  the  liberality  and  public  spirit  which  have  so  nobly 


28  INAUGURAL  EPIC. 

carried  out  the  design  of  the  first  really  popular  Free 
Library  in  England."  The  poem  has  not  placed  its  author 
on  the  giddiest  height  of  Parnassus,  yet  it  contains  many 
lines  distinctly  superior  to  commonplace,  and  a  selection 
from  them  may  fittingly  be  quoted  here  : 

Hear,  O  ye  People  !  and  rejoice  for  lo, 

A  deed  is  done  which  far  surpasseth  show ; 

This  day  are  you  recipients  of  great  good, 

If  well  received  and  rightly  understood. 

This  day  is  dedicate  to  you  and  yours 

This  princely  palace  while  all  time  endures. 

This  Library  is  yours  !  for  ever  !  free  ! 

Oh,  matchless  boon  !  Oh  generosity  ! 

This  Library  is  yours  !  these  countless  tomes 

Shall  carry  comfort  to  your  hearts  and  homes  ; 

This  goodly  temple,  where  the  heaven-born  mind 

Shall  grow  in  grace,  and  fit  nutrition  find, 

Until  matured  and  to  perfection  brought, 

It  yields  in  turn  the  nourishment  it  sought. 

This  school  is  yours  !  and  here  at  leisure  hours 

The  untutored  soul  may  learn  to  know  its  powers ; 

The  unlettered  handicraftsman  in  new  phase 

Shall  see  the  world,  and  seeing,  live  to  praise. 

No  longer  grovelling  on  the  earth,  a  pest 

To  all  society — himself  unblest, 

And  by  imaginary  wrongs  opprest. 

He  shall  discover,  and  thereat  rejoice 

That  he  was  formed  for  virtue,  not  for  vice. 

Emerging  from  the  depths  of  ignorance. 

His  longing  soul  shall  cry  "  Advance — advance  !  " 

This  refuge  for  the  weary  and  forlorn, 

No  matter  whether  high  or  lowly  born. 

Is  yours  !  for  ever  yours  !  Oh,  blest  retreat ! 

Here  for  a  season  you  may  haply  cheat 

Life  of  its  sorrows.     Oh  !  then  hither  come, 

And  freely  these  parterres  of  pleasure  roam. 

Know,  it  is  free  to  all  who  choose  to  share 

The  sumptuous  banquet  now  provided  there. 


THE    OPENING    AND    ITS    RESULTS.  29 

This  mansion's  yours !   with  all  that  it  contains, 
Whilst  e'er  a  man  of  Manchester  remains. 
Oh  !  glorious  trophy  for  my  native  town  ! 
Dear  Manchester,  how  great  is  thy  renown  ! 

His  rapture  anent  books  is  not  without  force  or  dignity  : 
Books  are  the  living  pictures  of  the  dead, 
Fond  mates,  to  which  all  virtuous  souls  are  wed. 
They  are  a  river  deepening  as  it  flows. 
Brimful  of  peace,  not  impure  floods  of  woes  ; 
A  fount  of  pleasure,  which,  when  gushing  clear. 
Nothing  on  earth  refresheth  with  like  cheer. 
What  an  assemblage  of  these  gems  I  see  ! 
They're  yours !  they're  mine !  to  all  the  world  they're  free 
What  an  abundant  harvest  may  we  reap  ! 
The  fruits  of  those  who  with  our  fathers  sleep, — 
The  accumulative  wisdom  of  all  time, 
Is  garnered  here,  from  many  a  soul  sublime. 
The  breathings  of  how  many  a  heart  sincere, 
Now  dead  and  gone,  are  safely  treasured  here  ! 
The  grave's  inhabitants,  snatched  from  the  spoiler,  Death, 
Again  reanimate  with  living  breath, 
Do  cry  aloud,  inviting  you  to  come 
And  share  the  blessings  of  this  peaceful  home. 
Potent  for  good  they  spread  their  mystic  thrall, 
O  salut.ary  power  !  come  one  and  all. 
Let  us  obey  this  spiritual  call. 

THE  OPENING  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 
Four  days  later,  on  September  6th,  1852,  the  Free 
Library,  thus  so  happily  and  warmly  given  "  God  Speed," 
was  opened,  both  reference  and  lending  departments  being 
thronged  with  readers,  and  the  promoters  were  gratified 
by  the  striking  success  which  attended  their  efforts. 
During  the  first  year  of  working  there  were  issued  to 
readers  in  the  reference  department  61,080  volumes,  and 
from  the  lending  department  77,232  volumes,  making  a 
total  within  twelve  months  of  138,312.      The  reference 


30  FREE    LIBRARIES    AND    EDUCATION. 

library  when  opened  to  the  public,  contained  16,013 
volumes,  which  were  increased  by  the  end  of  the  year  to 
18,104.  The  lending  branch  possessed  at  the  same  time 
5,305,  and  these  were  increased  to  7,195  in  the  twelve 
months. 

Therefore  it  may  be  reckoned  that  the  25,000  volumes 
provided  were  issued  five  times  over.  This  does  not, perhaps, 
seem  a  large  turnover  as  compared  with  the  population.  The 
census  of  1851  gave  the  total  number  of  inhabitants  of  the 
city  as  308,382.  Making  every  allowance  for  \^omen, 
children,  and  adults  unable  to  read,  a  vast  number, 
probably  between  50,000  and  60,000  persons,  would  still 
remain,  who  might  naturally  have  been  expected  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  privileges  provided  for  them.  Had 
they  done  so  to  the  fullest  extent,  the  figures  would 
have  been  greatly  increased,  yet  under  the  circumstances 
the  result  was  not  unsatisfactory,  for  a  new  institution 
requires  time  in  which  to  make  itself  known  to  and 
appreciated  by  the  public,  and  the  public  of  that  day  was 
not  a  generally  educated  one.  In  fact,  the  same  census 
tables  show  that  out  of  the  69,500  children  between  the 
ages  of  3  and  14  then  living  in  Manchester,  30,100  were 
neither  at  school  nor  in  employment  ;  and  of  the  rest, 
32,400  were  stated  to  be  at  school  and  7,000  at 
work.  Less  than  one-half  of  the  rising  generation 
of  1 85 1  was  therefore  receiving  the  instruction  necessary 
to  fit  it  for  the  battle  of  life,  and  of  course  the  proportion 
for  the  previous  generation  would  be  smaller  still.  The 
use  of  the  Free  Libraries  has  in  later  years  increased  out  of 
all  comparison  with  the  mere  growth  of  the  population, 
and  this  increase  is  largely  accounted  for  by  the  strenuous 
educational  work  which  has  been  carried  on  in  our  midst 
since  the  passing  of  the  Elementary  Education  Act  of 
1870.       Since    that    time    the    number    of   children    ap- 


FREE    LIBRARIES    AND    EDUCATION.  31 

parently  not  receiving  education  has  steadily  decreased, 
and  has  indeed  almost  reached  the  vanishing  point,  whilst 
the  report  of  the  Committee  of  Council  on  Education 
for  1897-8  shows  that  in  1897  there  was  in  the  elementary 
schools  of  the  city  alone,  the  number  of  95,534  children 
on  the  Registers,  and  if  there  be  added  to  these,  as  may 
reasonably  be  done,  the  20,340  in  attendance  at  evening 
schools,  the  very  satisfactory  total  of  115,  874  is  obtained. 
The  influence  and  power  of  these  enhanced  educational 
efforts  might  rightly  be  expected  to  manifest  themselves 
in  an  increased  use  of  institutions  having  for  their  object 
the  enlargement  and  extension  of  adult  education,  and 
it  is  conclusively  shown  by  the  figures  recording  the 
working  of  the  Manchester  Free  Libraries  that  this 
expectation  is  correct  and  is  being  amply  and  gratifyingly 
realised. 

The  good  work  thus  well  begun  went  sturdily  onward 
gaining  for  itself,  under  the  management  of  Sir  John 
Potter,  who  had  been  elected  the  first  Chairman  of  the 
Committee,  much  popularity  and  esteem.  This  sym- 
pathetic feeling  was  emphasised  by  frequent  presents  to 
the  institution,  amongst  them  being  ;^75  in  money  from 
the  Manchester  Shakspeare  Society,  the  proceeds  of  an 
amateur  performance  at  the  Theatre  Royal  ;  about  620 
volumes  from  Mr.  Robert  Barnes,  Mayor  of  Manchester 
in  1852-3  ;  325  volumes  given  by  Mr.  Alexander  Henry, 
and  140  by  Mr.  Nicholas  Heald;  a  set  of  the  Specifications 
of  Patents  from  the  Commissioners  of  Patents  ;  many 
valuable  works  from  America,  notably  from  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  and  the  publications  of  several  societies 
presented  by  their  members. 

Concerning  the  use  of  the  Library,  Mr.  Edwards,  in 
his  first  report,  thus  speaks  : 

From    the    first,   the    library    of    reference   has  been 


32  LECTURES. 

extensively  used  by  persons  of  all  classes  in  society. 
Many  clergymen  and  ministers  of  various  denomina- 
tions frequently  visit  it  for  purposes  of  research. 
Commercial  men  of  all  grades  occasionally  come, 
either  in  search  of  information  on  some  pending 
question  of  politics  or  trade,  or  points  connected  with 
patents  of  inventions  and  other  like  subjects.  Young 
men  of  good  education  and  acquirements  come 
habitually  ;  some  to  read  history,  some  to  read 
books  on  commerce,  others  to  study  theology  or 
philosophy.  There  are  readers  who  come  almost  daily, 
both  morning  and  evening  for  many  months.  But  the 
majority  of  evening  readers— and  it  is  in  the  evening 
that  the  library  is  most  largely  frequented — have  always 
belonged  to  what  are  popularly  termed  'the  working 
classes.'  Many,  of  course,  read  merely  for  amusement ; 
but  not  a  few  come  with  a  lively  and  with  an  obvious 
purpose  of  self-improvement. 

LECTURES. 

By  way  of  still  further  popularising  the  new  institution, 
free  lectures  were  delivered  in  the  Library  in  the  winter  of 
1852.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Robert  Vaughan,  Principal  of  the 
Lancashire  Independent  College,  lectured  on  the  "  Use 
and  Study  of  History "  ;  Mr.  A.  J.  Scott,  Principal  of 
Owens  College,  dealt  with  the  "  Literature  of  Society  and 
Fiction "  ;  and  Professor  Crace  Calvert  spoke  on  "  Coal 
and  its  Applications."  "  These  lectures,"  we  are  told,  "were 
attended  by  crowded  audiences,  were  listened  to  with  evident 
delight,  and  were  productive  of  a  noticeable  effect  on  the 
demand  for  books  in  the  Library  of  Reference."  Yet 
the  experiment  was  not  repeated  till  1888,  when  a  course  of 
free  lectures  was  arranged  and  delivered  as  follows  : — 
1888.  January  i8th—Hulme Branch— Mr.  Charles  Rowley, 
on  "  General  Reading  for  Busy  Men." 
January  25th — Cheetham  Branch — Rev.  P.  P. 
^  Forsyth,  on  "  Popular  Religious  Literature." 


LECTURES.  33 

February  15th — Deansgate  Branch — Mr.  W.  E.  A. 

Axon,  on  "  Books,  Ancient  and  Modern." 
February  22nd — Chorlton  Branch — Professor  A.  S. 

Wilkins,  on  "  Modern  Fiction." 
March    7th — Rochdale    Road    Branch— Mr.    Geo. 

Milner,  on  "  Ballad  Literature." 
March  21st — Ancoats  Branch — Mr.  Geo.  Harwood, 
M.A.,  on  "  Books  as  Friends." 
These  lectures  so  greatly  attracted  the  public  that  a 
further  course  was  provided  in  the  winter  of  the  same  year 
and  of  the  year  1889.     Here  is  the  list : — 

1888.  November   6th— Ancoats    Branch— Mr.  W.   E.  A. 

Axon,  on  "  The  Story  of  Manchester." 
December  4th — Chorlton  Branch — Mr.  J.  A.  New- 
bold,  on  "  Reasoning." 

1889.  January  15th — Hulme  Branch — Professor  W.  Boyd 

Dawkins,  on  "  The  Ancient  History  of  the  Earth." 
February  5th — Cheetham  Branch — Mr.  Eli  Sower- 
butts,  on  "  The  Making  of  Geography." 
March   4th — Deansgate    Branch — Professor    A.    S. 

Wilkins,  on  "  George  Eliot." 

April  9th — Rochdale    Road    Branch — Mr.   Charles 

Rowley,  on  "  General  Reading  for  Busy  Men." 

In  1890,  three  lectures  were  delivered  in  the  Reference 

Library   by   way    of    experiment.      On    January     13th, 

Mr.  Alfred  Darbyshire  lectured  on  "  Secular  Architecture" ; 

on    February    loth,    Mr.    Percy    S.    Worthington,    B.A., 

discoursed  on  "  Ecclesiastical  Architecture,"  and  on  March 

lOth,  Mr.  John    Cassidy  spoke   on    "  Sculpture,"   giving 

during  his  discourse  practical  illustrations  in  the  art  of 

modelling  in  clay.      A  list  of  the  more  important  works 

contained  in  the  library  relative  to  the  subjects  expounded 

was  printed  on  the  syllabus  of  each  of  the  lectures.      The 

room     was    crowded    with    attentive    and    appreciative 

C 


34  LECTURES. 

audiences,  and  the  importance  and  utility  of  thus  bringing 
some  of  the  treasures  of  the  library  into  prominent  notice 
was  conspicuously  demonstrated  by  their  subsequent  use. 
In  further  continuance  of  this  useful  course  of  activity 
a  series  of  lectures  was  provided  for  the  winter  of  the 
years  189 1-2  as  follows  : — 

1 89 1.  November  24th. — Newton    Heath    Branch,    Public 

Hall. — Mr.  Geo.  Milner  on  "English  Poetry    as 
represented  by  the  collection  in  the  Library." 
December  15. — Newton     Heath     Branch,      Public 
Hall.— Mr.    W.    E.    A.    Axon    on    "Books    and 
Reading." 

1892.  January    26th. — Newton    Heath    Branch,     Public 

Hall— Mr.    T.    C.    Abbott    on    "James    Russell 
Lowell." 
February    15th. — Newton    Heath    Branch,    Public 
Hall. — Mr.  Harry  Rawson  on  "  Technical  Educa- 
tion, with  notes  of  a  visit  to  Technical  Schools 
in  Germany,  France,  and  Switzerland,"  and  with 
Lantern  illustrations. 
March  22nd. — Manchester  Town  Hall,  Mr.  J.  Ernest 
Phythian,   "The  Cathedral  of  St.  Mark,  Venice," 
with  lantern  illustrations. 
In    connection    with    this    lecture   an    exhibition  of 
Ongania's  Basilica  of  St.    Mark  was  held.      This  work 
consists  of  fourteen  volumes  4to.,  and  two  folio,  forming  an 
exhaustive  and  artistic  treatise,  describing  and  illustrating 
with  text  and  741  plates,  of  which  134  are  coloured,  one 
of  the  most  interesting  and  famous  buildings  in  the  world. 
During    the    usual    season    of    1892-3,    the    lecture 
programme  was  carried  on,  lectures  being  delivered  in  the 
Newton  Heath,  Longsight,  and  Rusholme  Public  Halls, 
and  the  Hulme  Town  Hall,  by  Mr.  Charles  Rowley,  on 
"The  History  of  Pictorial  Art;"  Mr.  J.  E.  Phythian,  on  the 


THE  CAMPFIELD  BUILDING.  35 

"  Study  of  Sculpture  in  Egypt,  Greece,  and  Italy ;"  Mr.  W. 
E.  A.  Axon,  on  "The  Story  of  Manchester;"  and  Mr.  W. 
W.  H.  Gee,  on  "The  Electric  Light."  This  branch  of 
Library  work  was  then  discontinued  until  1899,  when  an 
arrangement  was  made  with  Mr.  J.  E.  Phythian  to 
deliver  from  January  27th,  to  March  3rd,  a  course  of  six 
lectures  on  "  English  History  in  Modern  Fiction,"  in  the 
Public  Hall  attached  to  the  Longsight  Branch.  The 
lectures  were  illustrated  by  lantern  views,  were  largely 
attended  by  the  public,  and  considerably  increased  the 
use  of  the  higher  class  fiction,  and  the  works  on  English 
history  possessed  by  the  Library. 

THE  CAMPFIELD  BUILDING. 
A  few  years  after  the  opening  of  the  Library  in  the 
building  in  Campfield,  its  inadequacy  to  meet  the  public's 
requirements  became  apparent.  The  structure  had 
originally  been  designated  "  The  Hall  of  Science," 
and  was  opened  in  May,  1840,  as  a  place  of  meeting  for 
the  followers  of  Robert  Owen,  whose  name  will  live  in 
history  as  that  of  the  originator  of  a  form  of  socialism.  His 
Life,  written  by  himself,  is  one  of  the  curiosities  of 
biography.  The  Hall  fronted  Byrom  Street,  (named  after 
the  Manchester  Jacobite  Poet)  and  was  on  three  sides 
detached.  Its  general  style  of  architecture  was  Italian.  - 
On  a  large  stone  slab  let  into  the  parapet  on  the  front  of 
the  building  was  the  inscription 

ESTABLISHED   BY 

PUBLIC   SUBSCRIPTION 

IN  THE  THIRD  YEAR 

OF   THE   MAYORALTY   OF 

JOHN    POTTER,  ESQ., 

MDCCCLI.  > 

The  length  of  the  Hall  was  109  ft.,  and  its  width  54  ft. 
There  was  an  entrance  hall  16  ft.  by  20  ft.,  and  fronting  it 


36  THE    CAMP  FIELD   BUILDING. 

on  the  ground  floor  was  the  lending  library,  occupying  a 
spacious  room  83  ft.  long  by  51  ft.  wide  and  16  ft.  high. 
Above  this,  reached  by  four  flights  of  steps,  was  the 
Reference  Library.  A  contemporary  describer  says  of 
this  room  : — 

It  is  of  the  same  length  and  breadth  as  the  library 
for  circulation,  but  is  much  more  lofty  and  elegant  in  its 
appearance,  the  ornamented  ceiling  being  27  ft.  from  the 
floor.  The  windows,  six  on  each  side,  are  1 5  ft.  6  in.  in 
height,  and  5  ft.  3  in.  in  breadth.  The  entire  walls  are 
covered  with  shelves.  This  noble  room  is  unencumbered 
by  columns.  It  is  furnished  with  six  large  oak  tables, 
covered  with  black  leather,  in  two  rows,  surrounded  by 
sixty  neat  chairs.  No  one  can  enter  this  room  without 
being  sensibly  struck  with  its  noble  and  imposing 
appearance. 

Over  the  Reference  Library  there  has  been  formed 
a  room  which  will  be  available  for  the  purposes  of  a 
museum,  for  the  reception  of  models  exhibiting  improve- 
ments in  the  machinery  chiefly  connected  with  the  trade 
of  this  district,  and  no  doubt  other  objects  of  interest. 

The  arrangements  for  lighting  and  ventilation,  which 
were  "  to  ensure  the  valuable  bindings  from  the  serious 
decay  which  is  witnessed  in  so  many  of  our  public 
libraries,"  are  described  by  this  enthusiast  in  elaborate 
detail,  but  as  they  were  not  very  effectual  his  praises 
may  be  omitted.  Ten  years  after  the  erection  of  the 
building  the  Owenites  having  become  greatly  reduced  in 
number  were  glad  enough  to  dispose  of  their  property, 
and  it  was  purchased  by  Alderman  John  Potter,  on  behalf 
of  the  .•subscribers  to  the  Public  Library  Fund,  for  the  sum 
of  £\,2QO.  The  purchase  of  a  chief  rent  on  the  property 
of  £gi.  6s.  per  annum,  owned  by  Sir  Oswald  Mosley,  who 
returned  one-half  of  the  purchase  money,  and  legal  and 
other  expenses  connected  with  the  transfer  brought  the 
cost  to  ;^2,i47.  Thus  it  happened,  perhaps  not  inappro- 
priately, that  a  structure  which  had  at  first  been  used  for 


THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    BRANCHES.  37 

the  purpose  of  propagating  a  form  of  communism  for 
"whfch  the  people  were  by  no  means  ripe,  came  to  be 
devoted  to  a  more  practical  and  promising  method  of 
social  reform. 

THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  BRANCHES. 
To  provide  for  the  embarrassing  increase  in  the  use  of 
the  library,  especially  in  the  lending  department,  the 
Committee  submitted  to  the  Council  a  proposal  for  the 
establishment  of  three  branch  libraries.  Their  scheme, 
drawn  up  by  Councillor  Harry  Rawson  and  explained  by 
him  and  Sir  John  Potter  to  the  Council  on  May  13th, 
1857,  is  outlined  in  the  following  "report  and  recom- 
mendations." 

Your  Committee  have,  for  some  time  past,  been 
conscious  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  present  Library  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  public  ;  partly  from  the 
insufficient  supply  of  books,  and  in  great  measure  from 
the  circumstance  that  the  locality  of  the  Library  places 
it  at  a  very  inconvenient  distance  from  the  large  numbers 
of  those  for  whom  especially  its  advantages  were 
benevolently  designed. 

The  Council  will  be  aware  that  at  the  period  of  the 
transference  of  the  Free  Library  to  the  care  and  custody 
of  the  Corporation,  the  Public  Libraries  and  Museums 
Act,  13  and  14  Vic,  cap.  65  required  'that  the  whole 
amount  of  rate  levied  for  the  purposes  of  this  Act  do 
not  in  any  one  year  amount  to  more  than  one  halfpenny 
in  the  pound  on  the  annual  value  of  the  property  in  the 
borough  rateable  to  the  borough  rate.'  As  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  amount  so  produced  is  required  for  the 
efficient  working  of  the  present  Library,  it  becomes 
necessary  that  your  Committee  should  obtain  the 
sanction  of  the  Council  to  avail  themselves  of  the  larger 
powers  conferred  by  a  subsequent  and  amended  Act 
the  1 8th  and  19th  Vic,  cap.  70,  which  empowers  the 
levying  of  a  rate  '  not  exceeding  the  sum  of  one  penny 
in  the  pound,'  and  which  on  the  present  assessment  of 
the    borough,   will    produce    an    annual    sum    of    about 


j8  THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    BRANCHES. 

Before  proceeding  to  specify  the  manner  in  which 
the  Committee  propose  to  carry  out  the  increased  powers 
(should  the  Council  see  fit  to  accord  them)  they  beg  to 
state  that  they  do  not  intend  to  alter  any  of  the  conditions 
under  which  the  present  Library  is  placed.  It  will  be 
observed  that  it  is  Lending  Libraries  which  they 
recommend  to  be  formed,  as  they  are  convinced  that  it 
would  be  inexpedient  to  establish  others  for  the  purpose 
of  reference  ;  not  only  from  their  greater  relative  cost, 
but  from  a  belief  that  one  well-stocked  Reference 
Library  will  be  more  serviceable  than  several  which 
were  necessarily  less  complete  and  inferior.  Neither  can 
any  large  proportion  of  the  books  comprising  the  existing 
lending  library  be  removed,  though  undoubtedly  the 
pressure  upon  its  circulation  will  be  rendered  less 
severe  when  the  new  branches  come  into  operation.  As 
the  central  lending  library,  too,  it  is  desirable  that  the 
number  of  its  volumes  should  be  larger  than  may  be 
required  for  the  branch  establishments. 

Your  Committee,  therefore,  submit  the  following 
recommendations  and  estimates: — i.  That  three  Branch 
Libraries  shall  be  established.  2.  That  to  each  Library 
a  News  and  Reading  Room  be  attached.  3.  That  the 
Libraries  be  placed  in  the  following  localities  : — 

{a)  One  in  Ancoats,  as  near  as  practicable  to  New 
Cross,  thus  supplying  the  dense  masses  of  population  in 
Ancoats,  St.  George's  and  Oldham  Roads,  and  the  dis- 
tricts between  and  on  each  side  of  these  great  thoroughfares. 

{b)  One  in  Hulme,  situated  near  the  site  of  the  old 
workhouse,  to  supply  those  parts  of  the  township  lying 
beyond  Stretford  New  Road,  Greenheys,  Moss  Side,  and 
Chorlton. 

{c)  One  in  Ardwick,  near  Ardwick  Green,  to  supply 
that  township,  the  districts  of  London  Road,  Garratt, 
and  the  extreme  end  of  Ancoats. 

Your  Committee  are  unanimous  in  thinking  that  it 
would  be  unreasonable  to  expect  from  the  voluntary 
benevolence  of  the  city  (so  largely  taxed  in  the  origin  of 
the  present  Library)  the  funds  requisite  for  the  establish- 
ment of  the  branches  now  proposed  ;  and  it  will  be  seen 
by  the  appended  estimate  that  the  major  part  of  the 
first  year's  augmented  rate  will  therefore  be  absorbed  in 
the  purchase  of  books  and  the  cost  of  the  necessary 
furniture,  shelving,  and  fittings. 


THE    BEGINNING    OF    THE    BRANCHES.  39 

In  preparing  the  estimate  of  the  annual  working 
expenses,  your  Committee  have  been  guided  by  the  facts 
and  information  supplied  by  reports  of  the  Lending 
Libraries  of  Liverpool,  which  have  proved  so  remarkably 
successful,  by  that  of  our  own  and  the  neighbouring 
borough,  and  by  the  experience  of  similar  agencies  con- 
nected with  Mechanics'  and  other  kindred  institutions. 

Estimate    of  Expenses    in   Establishing  three   Branch 
Lending  Libraries. 

Books — say  2,500  volumes  at  2s.  6d.  per  vol.     320 
Fittings  and  Furniture,  &c.,  say  -     -     -     -     130 

450 
For  the  three  Branches  say  i^  1,3 50. 

Estimate  of  Annual  Working  Expenses  for  each  Branch. 

£ 

Rent  of  premises-     -- 50 

Furniture  and  repairs    -------  15 

Lighting,  warming,  and  cleaning-     -     -     -  50 

Salaries — Librarian,  £^0  ;   Assistant,  £26  ; 

Errand  boy,  i;8       -------  114 

Replacement  of  books — say  400  volumes 

at  2s.  6d.        ---------  50 

Binding — say    500    vols,   at    is.   3d.,  ^^31  ; 

Printing  and  Stationery,  ;^20  -  -  -  51 
Incidental    Expenses,   ;^io;    Repairs  and 

Press-marking  of  Books,  ^15    -     -     -  25 

Newspapers  and  Periodicals    -----  30 

Sundries     -----------  15 

400 
Total  expense  annually  of  three  Branches 
;{:  1,300. 
These  recommendations  were  adopted  in  their  entirety 
by  the  Council,  and  in  pursuance  of  this  authorization, 
a  Branch  Library  was  opened  on  November  23rd,  1857,  at 
No.  221,  Stretford  Road,  Hulme,  and  another  on  December 
7th  of  the  same  year  at  No.  190,  Great  Ancoats  Street. 
These  libraries  were  designated  the  Hulme  Branch  and 


40  DEATH    OF   SIR  JOHN   POTTER. 

the  Ancoats  Branch.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  first  year's 
working  the  Hulme  Branch  possessed  3,849  volumes  and 
the  Ancoats  Branch  4,235.  The  total  issue  of  books  at 
Hulme  was  50,129  to  2,608  borrowers  and  at  Ancoats 
38,058  to  2,284  readers. 

DEATH   OF   SIR    JOHN    POTTER. 

The  following  year,  1858,  was  marked  by  the  death, 
on  the  25th  of  October,  of  the  man  to  whom  the  Free 
Libraries  largely  owed  their  origin.  Of  Sir  John  Potter's 
public  life  and  character  Mr.  Edwards  has  given  an 
interesting  sketch  in  his  Free  Town  Libraries.  It  may 
be  worth  while  to  quote  what  he  says  about  the  starting 
of  the  subscription  for  the  free  library  : — 

Sir  John  Potter  began  his  chief  public  labour  ^during 
the  second  year  of  his  mayoralty)  by  taking  from  his 
pocket  one  day,  on  the  Manchester  Exchange,  a  library 
begging-book.  He  repeated  the  experiment  soon  after- 
wards in  a  place  where  he  was  wont  to  feel  himself  more 
thoroughly  at  his  ease  than  even  on  that  Exchange 
where  his  name  had  been  so  long  held  in  honour.  At 
the  head  of  a  board  well  laden  with  the  choicest  of  the 
good  things  of  this  life,  and  surrounded  by  faces  beaming 
with  testimony  of  the  genial  enjoyment  of  them,  Sir 
John  Potter  was  always  seen  at  his  best.  The  enjoyment 
of  the  host  seemed  to  increase  with  the  number  and 
joyousness  of  the  guests.  Under  such  happy  circum- 
stances, the  subscription  list  opened  on  the  Exchange, 
went  round  the  table  with  the  wine,  and  was  rapidly  and 
liberally  filled  up. 

On  the  death  of  Sir  John  Potter,  the  chairmanship 
was  temporarily  undertaken  by  Councillor  Alexander 
McDougall,  Senr.  In  1859  Councillor  Harry  Rawson  was 
elected  Chairman,  and  to  him  succeeded,  in  1861,  Coun- 
cillor John  King,  Jun.,  Councillor  Thomas  Baker  being 
appointed  Vice-Chairman. 


EDWARD    EDWARDS.  41 

EDWARD   EDWARDS,   FIRST   LIBRARIAN. 

The  year  1858  also  witnessed  the  termination  of  Mr. 
Edwards's  tenure  of  the  office  of  chief  librarian,  after  six 
years'  service.  During  that  period  he  submitted  many 
valuable  reports  and  suggestions,  besides  arranging  and 
cataloguing  the  books  forming  the  nucleus  of  the  libraries, 
and  there  is  no  doubt  that  these  institutions  owe  a 
considerable  portion  of  their  success  to  his  abilities.  In 
his  time  of  office  the  number  of  volumes  in  the  Reference 
Library  increased  from  16,013  to  25,858,  and  in  the 
lending  library  from  5,305  to  10,029,  whilst  the  issues  in 
the  Reference  Library  grew  from  61,080  to  101,991,  and 
in  the  lending  library  from  77,232  to  96,117. 

Edward  Edwards  was  a  native  of  London,  where  he 
was  born  in  the  year  1812.  Very  little  is  known  of  his 
early  career,  but  he  undoubtedly  received  a  good  education. 
In  1836  he  appeared  as  a  pamphleteer  on  subjects  of 
public  interest,  writing  among  other  topics  on  National 
Universities,  with  special  reference  to  the  University  of 
London  whose  Charter  was  then  under  discussion.  He 
also  obtained  some  reputation  as  a  numismatist,  and 
in  1837  printed  for  private  circulation  a  "Descriptive 
Catalogue  of  the  Medals  struck  in  France  and  its  Depend- 
encies, 1789 — 1830."  In  this  he  notes  the  deficiencies  in 
the  series  then  in  the  British  Museum.  During  the  same 
year  there  appeared  from  his  pen  a  handsome  folio  volume 
devoted  to  the  "Napoleon  Medals,"  the  illustrations  of  the 
medals  being  produced  by  the  CoUas  system  of  engraving. 
His  next  work  of  importance  was  a  treatise  on  "The 
Administrative  Economy  of  the  Fine  Arts  in  England  " 
which  was  published  in  1840,  when  the  question  of  the 
extent  to  which  the  State  should  interfere,  or  can  usefully 
interfere,    for    the   promotion  of  education  and  for    the 


42  EDWARD    EDWARDS. 

encouragement  of  the  fine  arts  was  still  a  matter  on  which 
there  existed  great  diversity  of  opinion. 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Edwards  had  shown  a  masterly 
grasp  of  the  problems  of  library  economy  in  a  printed 
letter  addressed  in  1836  to  B.  Hawes,  M.P.,  and  consisting 
of  "  Remarks  on  the  Minutes  of  Evidence  before  the  Select 
Committee  on  the  British  Museum  of  1835."  In  this,  as 
in  his  own  evidence  before  the  Committee  in  January, 
1836,  he  asks  for  greater  accessibility,  a  regular  supply  of 
books,  a  reformation  in  the  state  of  the  catalogues,  and  a 
better  departmental  organization.  The  deficiencies  of  the 
library  in  those  days  as  regards  foreign  literature  were 
insisted  upon  with  emphasis.  This  pamphlet,  with  some 
additions,  he  reprinted  in  1839,  and  on  Feb.  7th  ot  that 
year  the  Museum  authorities  appointed  him  as  a  super- 
numerary assistant  in  the  printed  book  department,  for 
special  employment  on  the  new  catalogue  ordered  by  the 
trustees. 

Edwards  was  one  of  the  four  coadjutors  of  Mr.  Panizzi 
in  framing  the  ninety-one  rules  for  the  formation  of  the 
catalogue,  the  others  being  John  Winter  Jones,  afterwards 
principal  librarian  ;  Thomas  Watts,  afterwards  keeper  of 
the  printed  books,  and  Serjeant  Parry  who  afterwards 
attained  distinction  in  the  legal  profession.  As  Panizzi  is 
generally  credited  with  a  large  amount  of  the  autocratic 
spirit  it  is  interesting  to  know  that  Mr.  Edwards  always 
bore  testimony  to  the  consideration  he  gave  to  their 
opinions  when  they  chanced  to  diverge  from  his  own. 
Panizzi,  in  fact,  always  put  matters  of  dispute  to  the  vote 
and  loyally  abode  by  the  decisions  of  the  majority. 
Mr.  Edwards  was  an  important  witness  before  each  of 
the  Select  Committees  which,  between  1836  and  1850, 
examined  into  the  management  of  our  great  national 
library. 


EDWARD    EDWARDS.  43 

On  the  commencement  of  the  catalogue  Edwards  was 
assigned  to  the  duty  of  cataloguing  the  collection  of  civil 
war  tracts,  formed  under  Charles  I.  and  the  Commonwealth 
by  the  bookseller  Thomason,  and  containing  more  than 
thirty  thousand  separate  pieces.  These  were  entirely  cata- 
logued by  him.  The  task  seems  to  have  absorbed  his  ener- 
gies for  several  years,  or  else  any  other  literary  work  which 
he  may  have  produced  was  anonymous.  About  1846  he 
began  to  devote  great  attention  to  the  statistics  of  libraries, 
collected  returns  supplied  by  foreign  librarians  or  excerpted 
by  himself  from  foreign  publications,  and  published  the 
results  in  the  AthencEum.  He  contributed  to  the  British 
Quarterly  Review  in  1 847  a  paper  on  "  Libraries  in  London 
and  Paris  "  ;  read  a  paper  before  the  Statistical  Society  in 
1848,  and  in  the  same  year  printed  for  private  circulation 
"  Remarks  upon  the  paucity  of  libraries  freely  open  to  the 
public  in  the  British  Empire."  Unfortunately  his  statistics 
were  frequently  fallacious,  and  Mr.  Watts,  in  a  series  of 
letters  published  in  the  Athenmim  under  the  signature 
"  Verificator,"  easily  showed  that  Edwards's  assertions  and 
conclusions  were  not  entirely  to  be  relied  on.  They  had 
served, however,  to  make  him  a  popular  authority,  and  when 
Mr.  William  Ewart  secured  the  appointment  of  a  Select 
Committee  on  Public  Libraries  in  1849,  Mr.  Edwards  was 
the  first  and  principal  witness  examined.  Among  the 
other  witnesses  were  Mr.  Thomas  Jones,  Librarian  of 
Chetham's  College,  Manchester,  and  Joseph  Brotherton, 
M.P.,  who  told  the  Committee  of  the  action  that  had  been 
taken  at  his  suggestion  for  the  establishment  of  a  free 
library  in  connection  with  the  Peel  Park  Museum  in  Salford. 

It  was  natural  that  Edwards  should  be  offered  the 
librarianship  of  the  first  important  free  library  established 
under  Mr.  E wart's  Act,  which  he  was  the  more  disposed  to 
accept,  as  his  engagement  at  the  Museum  had  from  various 


44  EDWARD    EDWARDS. 

causes  ceased  to  be  satisfactory  to  himself  or  the  authorities. 
He  accordingly  became  the  first  librarian  of  the  Man- 
chester Free  Library  and  applied  himself  with  much 
energy  to  the  management  and  development  of  the 
institution.  His  project  for  a  classified  catalogue  was 
published  in  1855,  in  the  form  of  a  letter  to  Sir  John  Potter. 
He  printed  a  number  of  other  reports  and  pamphlets 
connected  with  the  work  of  the  Free  Library,  and  one  of 
them  was  resented  as  an  attack  upon  the  catalogue  of  the 
Portico  Library,  which  he  had  severely  criticised.  This 
involved  him  in  a  paper  war  with  Mr.  W.  H.  G.  Ord  and 
Dr.  Frank  Renaud.  He  was  also  the  first  to  protest 
against  the  limitation  of  expenditure  on  public  libraries, 
his  report  on  the  Manchester  Library,  dated  1853,  con- 
taining these  suggestions  for  the  amendment  of  the  Act 
then  in  force  : — 

The  chief  amendments  now  needed  are,  I  submit — 

1.  The  omission  of  the  limit  affixed  to  the  rate, 
leaving  it  to  be  settled  by  Town  Councils,  according  to 
the  circumstances  of  each  town,  at  their  own  discretion, 
and  upon  their  ordinary  responsibility. 

2.  The  omission  of  the  prohibitory  clause  as  to  taking 
a  new  poll  within  less  than  two  years  after  a  negative 
decision.  This  certainly  might  be  left  to  the  decision  of 
the  Town  Council  in  each  case. 

3.  The  extension  to  all  Town  Councils  of  the  powers 
which  by  local  Acts  have  already  been  given  to  those  of 
Manchester  and  Liverpool,  in  respect  of  the  purchase 
of  books,  &c.,  out  of  all  monies  which  they  may  law- 
fully appropriate  to  public  libraries  and  museums. 

The  two  last  reforms  have  been  obtained,  but  the 
most  mischievous  thing  of  all,  the  limitation  of  the  rate,  yet 
remains  to  retard  and  prevent  the  progress  of  one  of  the 
most  popular  and  enlightened  movements  of  modern  times. 

Whilst  engaged  in  Manchester,  he  continued  his 
literary  investigations,  and  in  1855  published  an  accep- 
table   contribution    to   local    history,   dealing,  under  the 


EDWARD    EDWARDS.  45 

title  of  "  Manchester  Worthies  and  their  Foundations," 
with  the  endowments  of  Thomas  La  Warre,  Hugh 
Oldham,  Humphrey  Chetham,  William  Hulme,  and  John 
Owens. 

The  relations  of  the  librarian  of  a  free  library  and  his 
committee  frequently  require  tact  atid  forbearance  on  both 
sides,  and  these  were  certainly  wanting  on  the  part  of 
Edwards,  whose  temper  was  naturally  impatient  of 
control,  and  who  admits  in  the  pamphlet  already  men- 
tioned that  he  had  been  taxed  both  with  indifference  to 
economy  and  with  an  undue  regard  for  his  own  reputation. 

Difficulties  arose  which,  after  considerable  discussion, 
led  to  his  resignation  in  1858  of  the  position  of  chief 
librarian.  After  a  brief  experience  as  partner  in  a  book- 
selling firm,  he  devoted  himself  entirely  to  literature  and 
bibliography.  Before  his  removal  from  Manchester  there 
appeared  what  must  be  regarded  as  his  most  important 
work,  "The  Memoirs  of  Libraries,"  published  in  1859,  i" 
two  large  volumes,  which,  it  may  be  noted  as  a  curious 
circumstance,  were  printed  at  Leipsic.  This  book,  with 
all  its  admitted  defects,  remains  the  most  considerable 
contribution  that  has  been  made  by  any  Englishman  to 
library  science.  In  1864  he  published  a  volume  of 
"  Chapters  of  the  Biographical  History  of  the  French 
Academy."  In  the  appendix  to  this  he  describes  the 
monastic  chronicle  entitled  "  Liber  de  Hyda,"  which  he 
discovered  whilst  arranging  the  library  of  the  Earl  of 
Macclesfield.  This  chronicle  he  edited  in  1866  for  the 
Rolls  Series.  The  history  and  management  of  libraries 
always  had  the  first  claim  upon  his  attention,  and  in  1864 
he  issued  "  Libraries  and  Founders  of  Libraries,"  which 
contains  the  result  of  much  literary  and  archaeological 
research,  and  forms  a  valuable  and  necessary  supplement 
to  the    "Memoirs   of  Libraries."      He   next   turned   his 


46  EDWARD    EDWARDS. 

attention  to  one  of  his  favourite  heroes,  and  on  "  The  Life 
of  Sir  Walter  Ralegh,"  published  in  1868,  expended 
an  enormous  amount  of  labour.  The  second  volume  is 
particularly  valuable,  containing  for  the  first  time  a 
complete  edition  of  Raleigh's  correspondence  ;  the  memoir 
also  has  considerable  merit,  but  it  appeared  almost 
simultaneously  with  J.  A.  St.  John's,  and  it  was  remarked 
with  surprise  that  each  biography  appeared  to  be  deficient  in 
whatever  gave  interest  to  the  other,  and  that  the  two 
would  need  to  be  blended  to  produce  a  really  satisfactory 
work.  As  a  mere  piece  of  by-play  he  compiled  a  volume 
on  "  Exmouth  and  its  Neighbourhood,  Ancient  and 
Modern,"  which  appeared,  but  without  his  name,  also  in 
1868.  In  the  following  year  he  issued  "Free  Town 
Libraries,  their  formation,  management,  and  history  ;  in 
Britain,  France,  Germany,  and  America."  In  this  volume 
he  has  told  the  story  of  the  foundation  of  the  Manchester 
Public  Libraries.  In  1870  he  made  another  contribution 
to  library  history  in  his  "  Lives  of  the  Founders  of  the 
British  Museum."  Although  this  work  must  be  supple- 
mented and  may  perhaps  be  superseded  by  others,  it  is 
likely  to  remain  the  groundwork  of  every  future  history. 
It  is  in  general  accurate  as  well  as  painstaking,  and 
evinces  a  most  creditable  impartiality. 

Edwards  next  accepted  an  engagement  to  catalogue 
the  library  of  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  which  occupied 
him  for  several  years.  On  the  formation  of  the  Library 
Association  in  1877  he  was  proposed  as  its  first  President, 
but  he  declined  the  honour  and  the  deafness  from  which 
he  was  by  this  time  suffering  would  alone  have  been  an 
insuperable  obstacle  to  his  discharge  of  the  office ;  yet  he  was 
much  gratified  by  his  election  in  1882  as  honorary  member 
of  that  Association.  His  failing  health  and  slender 
resources  gave  anxiety  to  his  friends,  and  the  Provost  and 


EDWARD    EDWARDS.  47 

Fellows  of  Queen's  College,  by  a  memorial  under  their 
common  seal,  petitioned  Lord  Beaconsfield  on  his  behalf 
for  a  pension.  This  application  was  also  backed  up  by 
Alderman  Curtis,  then  Mayor  of  Manchester,  and  by  Sir 
Thomas  Baker,  chairman  of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee. 
The  memorial  was  not  immediately  successful  ;  but  in 
1883,  on  the  recommendation  of  Mr.  Gladstone,  the  Queen 
granted  him  a  Civil  List  pension  of  ^80.  After  the 
completion  of  his  Oxford  engagement  he  retired  to  Niton, 
in  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  occupied  himself  with  projects 
for  a  recast  of  his  "  Memoirs  of  Libraries,"  with  great 
alterations  and  improvements. 

A  prospectus  of  the  intended  work  was  issued  by 
Edwards,  who  also  negotiated  for  the  appearance  of 
a  portion  of  it  in  the  Library  Chromcle,  and  was 
understood  to  have  collected  considerable  material  for  it, 
but  it  does  not  seem  to  be  known  whether  this  still  exists. 
His  last  published  book  was  a  "  Handbook  to  Lists  of 
Collective  Biography,"  undertaken  in  conjunction  with  Mr. 
C.  Hole,  the  first  and  only  part  of  which  appeared  in  1885. 
He  also  wrote  the  article  on  "  Libraries  "  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  article  "  Newspapers "  in  the  8th  edition  of 
the  "  Encyclopaedia  Britannica."  He  died  at  Niton,  in 
the  Isle  of  Wight,  on  the  loth  February,  1886. 

Notwithstanding  serious  faults  and  frequent  failures, 
Edwards's  name  will  always  be  associated  with  the- 
history  of  librarianship  in  England.  His  services  in 
connection  with  the  free  library  movement  were  very 
valuable,  and  he  did  much  to  awaken  attention  to  the 
defects  of  English  libraries  and  librarianship.  As  a 
literary  historian  he  was  erudite  and  industrious,  though 
not  sufficiently  discriminating.  His  works  '  occupy 
a  place  of  their  own,  and  will  always  remain  valuable 
mines  of  information.     His  opinions  on  library  matters, 


48  ROBERT    WILSON   SMILES. 

whether  expressed  in  his  evidence  before  the  Museums 
Committee  or  in  his  own  writings,  are  almost  always 
sensible  and  sound.  They  exhibit  few  traces  of  that 
vehemence  of  temperament  and  that  incapacity  for  har- 
monious co-operation  with  others  which  were  at  the  root 
of  most  of  his  failures,  and  placed  him  in  a  false  position 
for  so  great  a  part  of  his  life.  The  institutions  on  whose 
behalf  he  spent  himself  so  lavishly  came  before  the  era  of 
compulsory  education.  It  may  well  be  that  in  the  future, 
with  the  general  spread  of  elementary  instruction,  they  will 
have  even  more  influence  than  they  have  had  in  the  past 
as  instruments  by  which  the  best  that  has  been  thought 
and  written  on  any  problem  is  made  accessible  to  all.* 

R.  W.  SMILES,  SECOND  LIBRARIAN. 
Mr.  Edwards  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Robert  Wilson 
Smiles,  formerly  Secretary  of  the  Lancashire  Public 
Schools  Association,  and  brother  of  Dr.  Samuel  Smiles, 
the  author  of  Self  Help.  Mr.  Smiles  was  a  pronounced 
educationalist,  and  he  devoted  much  care  and  labour  to  the 
formation  of  an  educational  department  in  the  Reference 
Library.  This  section  consisted  of  class  and  school 
books,  maps,  diagrams,  and  many  kinds  of  apparatus  then 
in  use  for  educational  purposes,  and  was  intended  to 
furnish  "  a  ready  and  efficient  channel  by  which  publishers 
might  bring  their  issues  under  the  notice  of  those  most 
directly  interested."  It  was  also  thought  that  such  a 
section  would  afford  a  more  satisfactory  means  of  ascer- 
taining the  respective  merits  of  educational  publications 
than  the  advertisements  and  notices  which  appeared  in 
educational  and  other  journals.  A  circular  addressed  to 
the  educational  publishers  of  the  country  was  sent  out,  was 

*I  am  indebted  to  the  article  on  Edwards  in  the  "  Dictionary  of  National 
Biography  "  for  much  of  the  information  here  given." 


THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH.  49 

well  received, and  the  suggestion  was  generously  supported. 
In  his  report  issued  not  long  after  the  formation  of  the 
section  Mr.  Smiles  says  "  This  department  now  includes 
1,048  books,  maps,  diagrams,  sets  of  books  and  lessons,  &c. 
Many  schoolmasters,  public  lecturers,  professional  men, 
and  others  interested  in  practical  instruction,  have  visited 
this  department  during  the  year."  It  was,  however, 
after  a  few  years,  discontinued. 

Another  of  his  useful  undertakings  was  the  establish- 
ment, early  in  1862,  of  a  special  department  for  the 
accommodation  of  juvenile  readers.  Some  120  volumes 
of  books  likely  to  appeal  to  their  tastes  were  provided 
and  two  tables  in  the  Lending  Library  Newsroom  were 
set  apart  for  their  use.  The  result  proved  the  arrangement 
to  possess  so  many  and  such  valuable  advantages,  that 
from  this  small  beginning  has  grown  the  extensive  system 
of  Boys'  Reading  Rooms  which  is  now  one  of  the  most 
striking  and  useful  characteristics  of  public  library  work 
in  Manchester. 

THE  ROCHDALE  ROAD  BRANCH. 
During  Mr.  Smiles's  librarianship  the  third  Branch 
Library  was  opened  in  Livesey  Street,  Rochdale  Road,  on 
June  4th,  i860.  As  this  was  the  first  building  specially 
designed  and  erected  for  its  purpose  much  interest  was 
manifested  in  the  opening  ceremony,  and  there  was  a 
large  attendance  of  the  public  on  the  occasion.  Councillor 
Rawson,  then  chairman  of  the  committee,  presided.  Here 
follows  a  report  of  the  proceedings  : — 

On  the  platform  were  Ivie  Mackie,  Mayor  of  Man- 
chester ;  the  Revs.  Canon  Richson,  M.A.,  Rector  of  St. 
Andrew's,  Ancoats  ;  W.  Richardson,  of  St.  John's,  Miles 
Platting  ;  F.  W.  Davies,  of  St.  Peter's,  Oldham  Road  ;  W. 
Edwards,  Wesleyan  ;  E.  Hopkinson,  Missionary  ;  Messrs, 
Joseph  Heron,  Town  Clerk  ;  J.  G.  Lynde,  City  Sur- 
veyor ;  Charles  Swallow,  Agent  of  the  Bible  Society ; 
Alderman  Goadsby,  and  Councillors  Bake,  Horsfall, 
D 


50         THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH. 

Penny,  Ogden,  Worthington,  and  Warburton  ;  R.  W. 
Smiles,  Principal  Librarian  ;  James  Bellhouse,  the 
Branch  Librarian,  and  others. 

Councillor  Harry  Rawson,  in  opening  the  proceedings 
of  the  evening,  observed  that  he  had  been  flattered  by 
his  respected  colleagues  of  the  free  library  committee 
with  the  request  that  he  would  undertake  the  honourable 
position  of  chairman  of  that  meeting,  and  conduct  the 
proceedings.  In  accordance  with  a  custom  which  might 
perhaps  in  the  present  case  be  '  more  honoured  in  the 
breach  than  in  the  observance,'  he  would  venture  to  offer 
some  preliminary  observations,  studiously,  however, 
endeavouring  to  render  them  pertinent  to  the  occasion, 
and  as  brief  as  might  be  compatible  with  such  explana- 
tions and  statements  as  might  seem,  if  not  demanded,  at 
least  not  inappropriate  to  the  object  which  had  called 
them  together  that  evening.  Some  three  and  a-half  years 
ago,  the  free  library  committee  became  conscious  that  the 
rapidly-growing  population  of  the  city — the  extension  of 
its  boundaries  in  those  parts  especially  farthest  from  the 
centre — rendered  it  desirable  to  take  some  steps  with  a 
view  to  the  augmentation  of  the  Free  Library's  useful- 
ness, and  to  the  carrying  of  its  beneficent  operations  and 
influences  into  districts  so  far  removed  from  Campfield 
as  to  be  practically  debarred  from  participation  in  its 
advantages.  Accordingly  plans  were  prepared,  which  in 
due  course  were  submitted  to  the  City  Council  by  the 
then  chairman  of  the  committee,  the  late  Sir  John 
Potter,  to  whose  happy  lot  it  thus  fell,  not  only  to  foster 
into  being  the  original  library,  but  to  propose  those 
extensions  which  the  success  of  its  operations  alike 
suggested  and  justified.  The  Corporation  approved  of 
and  sanctioned  the  scheme,  and  it  was  determined  to  place 
one  branch  library  in  Hulme,  onein  Ancoats,  contiguous 
to  Ardwick,  and  a  third  in  Rochdale  Road.  In  the  other 
portions  of  the  city,  premises  had  been  selected  and 
operations  commenced ;  but  in  the  Rochdale  Road 
district  great  difficulty  was  experienced,  and  whilst  con- 
ducting enquiries  for  premises,  the  success  of  the  Hulme 
and  the  Ancoats  branches  encouraged  the  committee  to 
venture  on  the  erection  of  a  building,  which  they 
determined  should  combine  all  the  requirements  and  con- 
veniences of  a  commodious  and  comfortable  library  and 


THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH.  51 

newsroom,  with  capacity  for  future  extension.  Plans  were 
prepared,  and  much  deliberation  was  expended  upon 
them.  They  were  especially  fortunate  in  having  the 
efficient  and  zealous  aid  of  Mr.  Lynde,  the  city  surveyor, 
under  whose  eye  the  contractor  had  fulfilled  his  engage- 
ments, and  the  result  was  the  completion  of  the 
building  in  which  they  were  then  assembled,  and  whose 
operations  they  purposed  that  evening  to  inaugurate. 
It  was  most  honourable  to  Manchester  that  it  was  the 
first  city  to  avail  itself  of  the  powers  of  the  Public  Free 
Libraries  Act — most  honourable  that  it  was  the  first 
city  to  outgrow  even  the  liberal  provisions  originally 
made  for  its  intellectual  wants,  and  to  seek  additional 
resources.  In  respect  of  this  new  branch,  he  was  con- 
vinced there  was  reason  to  anticipate  a  successful 
career,  from  the  fact  that  the  two  branch  free 
libraries  already  in  operation  were  a  decided  success. 
At  the  Hulme  Library,  the  first  year,  the  number 
of  volumes  lent  out  was  50,129,  the  daily  average 
being  215;  the  second  year,  67,22,1  volumes  were 
lent  out,  being  an  average  of  226  daily;  the  daily  average 
number  of  visitors  to  the  newsroom  was  322.  At  Ancoats 
branch,  in  the  first  year,  there  were  issued  38,058  volumes, 
or  an  average  of  169  daily,  with  318  visitors  daily  to  the 
newsroom  ;  in  the  second  year,  the  number  of  books  lent 
was  47,626,  or  an  average  of  161  per  day.  The  Campfield 
Library  newsroom  drew  a  daily  average  of  1,289  persons  ; 
so  that  the  total  number  visiting  the  three  public  free 
newsrooms  was,  on  an  average  1,929  daily.  The  average 
number  of  books  lent  per  day  from  the  three  libraries 
collectively  was  1,042  volumes.  When  the  Rochdale 
Road  numbers  were  added  to  the  three  others  he  had 
named  the  results  would  be  so  vast,  that  it  required  the 
assurance  of  actual  experience  to  enable  them  fully  to 
realise  their  significance,  and  seeing  what  they  proclaimed 
as  the  results  of  efforts  made  for  popular  education  in  a 
most  efficient  form,  by  one  unquestionably  powerful 
municipality,  it  was  indeed  cheering  and  satisfactory  to 
reflect  that  seventeen  cities  and  boroughs  had  already  in 
operation  these  beneficent  agencies.  Mr.  Smiles  their 
librarian,  was  constantly  receiving  inquiries  as  to  the 
management,  &c.,  of  the  present  institution  in  Man- 
chester, for  guidance  in  other  towns,  to  which  he 
devoted,    with    much    satisfaction,    his    best    attention. 


52  THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH. 

Shortly  would  Birmingham,  Wolverhampton,  and 
Blackburn  be  added  to  the  list  of  Free  Public 
Libraries;  and  Marylebone,  Bridgewater,  Gloucester, 
Brighton,  Lancaster,  and  Glasgow  were  moving  in  the 
matter.  He  had  looked  through  the  reports  of  the 
Bolton,  Cambridge,  Sheffield,  Birkenhead,  Westminster, 
Liverpool,  and  Salford  libraries,  and  found  all  to  declare, 
in  most  emphatic  terms,  first,  that  the  expectations  of 
the  promoters  had  been  exceeded  ;  second,  that  no 
damage  had  been  done  to  the  books  but  what  was 
astonishing  from  its  inconsiderableness  ;  and,  that  the 
actual  losses  sustained  were  of  a  marvellously  unimportant 
character.  In  the  report  of  the  Liverpool  Library  for 
six  years  (1852  to  1858),  the  circulation  was  represented 
to  have  been  one  million,  and  the  loss  only  amounted  to 
30S.  In  Manchester,  during  five  years,  in  which  time  it 
had  circulated  790,000  books,  the  loss  sustained  had 
only  been  twenty  volumes,  averaging  perhaps  2s.  each. 
In  Salford,  at  the  end  of  1855,  with  one  unimportant 
exception,  no  book  had  been  damaged,  lost,  or  stolen, 
for  which  compensation  had  not  been  paid.  And  if 
these  things  were  done  in  the  green  wood,  what  might 
be  done  in  the  dry  ?  If  such  were  the  achievements  of 
free  libraries  in  the  past,  what  might  they  not  antici- 
pate from  their  future  ?  If  they  had  accomplished 
so  much  under  the  disadvantages  of  novelty  and  inex- 
perience— and  of  the  comparatively  limited  demand  for 
reading  which  alone  a  partial  education  of  the  people 
could  supply — what  would  they  not  do  when  the 
improvements  and  extension  of  education,  youthful  and 
adult,  now  so  rapidly  progressing,  have  had  time  to 
produce  their  natural,  inevitable,  and  most  satisfactory 
effects  ?  In  1 838  the  government  grant  for  education  was 
i^20,ooo.  In  i860  it  was  ;^793,ooo.  Was  there  not  a 
wonderful  significance  in  this  fact  alone?  He  wished 
them  to  bear  in  mind  that  every  well-conducted  school, 
in  giving  elementary  instruction,  fosters  the  love  of  know- 
ledge and  creates  a  taste  for  reading.  That  cheap 
popular  literature  must  act,  and  be  re-acted  on  by  this 
improvement  ;  and  that  every  mechanic's  institution, 
every  mutual  improvement  society,  every  one  of  the 
numerous  intellectual  appliances  now  being  attached  to 
their  Sunday-schools  must  augment  the  number  of 
readers  and  students,  and  it  was  impossible  for  them,  as 


■THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH.  53 

friends  of  popular  instruction — believing  that  only  a 
people  enlightened  could  form  a  nation  permanently  free 
and  enduringly  happy — not  to  feel  elated  by  the  prospect 
of  the  expanding  and  almost  boundless  usefulness  which 
lies  open  to  the  free  libraries  and  newsrooms  of  our 
various  municipalities. 

""^is  Worship  the  Mayor  (Mr.  Ivie  Mackie),  observed  he 
had  been  called  upon  to  declare  that  the  Free  Library 
was  open  ;  but  he  thought  such  an  announcement  was 
unnecessary,  as  it  had  been  proved  by  the  very  large 
meeting  before  them.  Although  the  room  was  a  spacious 
one,  yet  it  appeared  to  him  that  it  was  far  too  small,  and 
he  was  glad  to  observe  that  it  was  well  ventilated.  The 
principle  of  ventilation  had  been  known  for  centuries,  but 
it  was  only  in  recent  years  that  the  secret  of  carrying  the 
principle  into  practice  had  been  discovered.  He  would 
advise  all  not  only  to  make  a  good  use  of  their  time  in 
improving  themselves,  but  also  to  make  a  good  use  of 
their  money.  He  had  been  often  tempted,  when  he  was 
young,  to  enjoy  himself  in  the  leisure  he  possessed,  and 
spend  his  money  for  that  object ;  but  he  had  learned  to 
deny  himself  in  small  things,  and  so  had  risen  to  the 
position  in  which  he  was  privileged  to  stand.  A  man 
who  could  not  assist  himself  would  not  be  one  likely  to 
benefit  from  the  assistance  of  others  ;  and  then,  again, 
no  man  could  assist  another  who  did  not  care  to  assist 
himself  As  all  men  were  in  some  measure  dependent 
upon  others,  and  as  all  were  affected  in  one  way  or 
another  by  the  prosperity  or  adversity  of  those  around, 
so  it  was  important  that  every  man  should  learn  to 
help  himself,  that  they  might  be  able  to  assist  their 
neighbours.  They  must  remember,  too,  that  unless  they 
took  advantage  of  small  things,  they  would  never  have 
the  opportunity  of  taking  care  of  large  things  ;  they 
might  be  able  to  get  a  great  deal  of  information  out  of 
books,  but  unless  they  learned  from  the  book  of  life,  from 
the  book  of  experience,  mere  book  reading  would  not  do 
much  good.  He  hoped  the  inhabitants  of  that  district 
would  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunity  afforded  them 
by^the  opening  of  that  free  library. 

Professor  Greenwood,  B.A.,  of  Owens  College,  rose 
to  move  the  first  resolution.  He  recalled  to  the  mind  of 
those    present  the  very    important   part   taken    in    the 


54  THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH. 

establishment  of  the  free  libraries  by  the  late  Sir  John 

Potter,  whose  memory   every  working  man  would  hold 

dear  on  that  account.    The  resolution  was  as  follows  : — 

That    this    meeting    rejoices    in    the    great    success 

which  has  attended  the  establishment  of  public 

free  libraries  in   the   country,  and  in  the  evidence 

they  have  afforded    of  the  desire  of  the  people 

to  avail  themselves  of  the  means  thereby  furnished 

for  their  social  and  intellectual  advancement. 

He  traced  the  history  of  the  free  library  scheme  in 
Manchester,  and  said  that  out  of  75,000  volumes  issued 
in  the  course  of  last  year  no  less  than  58,000  might  be 
classed  under  the  general  term  of  light  literature.  [The 
58,000  volumes  here  referred  to  included  literary  mis- 
cellanies and  collective  works,  magazines  and  reviews, 
encyclopeedias,  dictionaries  and  philological  works,  and 
poetry  and  the  drama.]  This  was,  perhaps,  much 
too  large  a  proportion  ;  but  it  was  equally  true  of  all 
of  them  that  after  a  hard  day's  work  they  naturally  read 
that  which  did  not  demand  a  very  great  effort  of  their 
thinking  powers.  And  while  remembering  that  it  was 
not  wise  and  safe  to  read  this  class  of  works  alone,  the 
remedy  was  to  be  found  not  in  reading  books  they 
had  no  taste,  for,  which  would  prove  unavailing,  but  in 
choosing  the  best  works  on  the  subjects  to  which  their 
tastes  directed  them  ;  and,  he  trusted,  the  quality  of 
reading,  as  well  as  the  quantity,  was  being  improved. 
He  mentioned  the  gratifying  fact,  that  in  consequence 
of  the  reports  of  distinguished  visitors,  the  example  of 
Manchester  had  been  followed  in  Berlin  and  other  cities 
in  Germany. 

Councillor  Rumney,  in  seconding  the  resolution, 
defended  the  perusal  of  the  highest  works  of  fiction,  as 
calculated  to  develop  the  reflective  faculties  and  refine 
the  feelings.  He  thought  that  if  a  system  of  house-to- 
house  visitation  were  adopted  in  the  district,  the  benefits 
of  the  library  might  be  brought  within  the  reach  of  many 
who,  without  such  an  instrumentality,  would  never  hear 
of  its  establishment. 

Mr.  Charles  Swallow  supported  the  resolution.  He 
referred  to  the  numerous  translations  of  the  scriptures 
which  had  been  presented  by  the  Bible  Society  to  the 


THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH.  55 

reference  department  of  the  Manchester  Free  Library. 
He  hoped  that  the  institution  would  be  useful  in 
every  sense,  and  that  the  books  behind  him  would 
be  the  means  of  affording  the  working  men  of  that 
locality  the  opportunity  of  gaining  a  wholesome  and 
useful  knowledge  of  every  subject  they  contained.  The 
resolution  was  carried  unanimously. 

The  Rev.  Canon  Richson  next  moved :  '  That  this 
meeting  regards  with  satisfaction  the  opening  of  this 
branch  Free  Library  and  Newsroom,  and  trusts  that  the 
opportunities  of  self-improvement  and  recreation  which 
it  will  afford,  will  be  extensively  used  by  the  population 
of  this  neighbourhood.'  He  objected  to  the  word  'trusts' 
in  the  resolution,  as  there  was  no  doubt  at  all  about  the 
fact  that  the  opportunities  afforded  to  the  working 
classes  would  be  made  use  of,  and  that  the  result  would  be 
a  very  beneficial  one.  He  regarded  these  free  libraries 
as  an  instalment  of  what  was  to  come  in  the  way  of 
education  for  the  people.  He  was  not  satisfied  with 
what  was  done  for  education.  It  was  true  that  the 
friends  of  education  for  the  moment  were  beaten,  that  is, 
they  were  obliged  to  be  quiet ;  but  their  spirits  were 
not  broken,  they  were  as  ready  as  ever  for  action,  and 
would  triumph  yet.  He  was  thoroughly  persuaded  that 
something  like  the  principle  which  had  been  proposed 
would  yet  be  adopted  in  this  country.  The  time  would 
come— and  these  libraries  would  help  it  forward — when 
the  working  man  would  say  to  the  government  of 
this  country,  '  I  will  not  submit  to  the  necessity  of  my 
child  being  pauperised  to  get  education  ;  it  shall  be  a 
civil  right.'  This  was  the  true  and  just  basis  they 
advocated,  and  it  would  be  fully  recognised  hereafter. 

The  Rev.  W.  Richardson,  rector  of  St.  John's,  Miles 
Platting,  seconded  the  motion,  and  it  passed  with 
applause. 

Mr.  Duffy,  in  obedience  to  the  general  call  of  the 
meeting,  mounted  the  platform,  and  stated  that  he  had 
merely  come  to  see  the  fulfilment  of  his  desire  for  that 
third  branch  library.  As  a  working  man  he  had  always 
been  favourable  to  education,  and  had  been  connected 
with  most  of  such  movements  in  Manchester.  His 
friend  Mr.  Smiles  would  remember  that  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Lancashire  Public  School   Association.      Living 


56  THE    ROCHDALE    ROAD    BRANCH. 

as  he  did  at  the  top  of  Ancoats,  he  had  not  time  to  visit 
Campfield,  and  as  there  were  many  thousands  of  books 
there  unused,  he  thought  something  might  be  done  to 
extend  their  usefulness.  At  that  time  he  read  a  very 
able  lecture  on  '  National  Education,'  by  their  worthy 
representative  Mr.  Thomas  Bazley,  in  which  regret  was 
expressed  that  the  working  classes  did  not  avail  them- 
selves more  largely  of  these  valuable  institutions.  He 
felt  rather  indignant  at  this,  and  penned  a  letter  in  reply 
to  the  newspaper,  stating  that  if  institutions  were  only 
placed  in  their  way  they  would  avail  themselves  of  them. 
There  were  many  of  their  wealthy  friends  on  that  plat- 
form, and  as  it  was  not  often  that  a  working  man  had 
an  opportunity  of  telling  them  what  he  thought,  he 
would  do  so.  The  Athenaeum  was  making  a  successful 
appeal  to  the  merchants  of  Manchester  to  assist  this 
grand  middle-class  institution,  but  working  men  could 
scarcely  get  a  shilling  for  their  Working  Men's  College, 
in  Ancoats — which  had  done  a  deal  of  good.  Again, 
the  institution  at  Rusholme  had  raised  a  large  amount 
by  a  bazaar  and  other  means.  The  working  classes 
wanted  some  of  this  sympathy  and  help.  They  wanted 
a  college  in  Rochdale  Road,  and  a  college  in  Hulme, 
and  must  have  them. 

Mr.    Norbury,   a    member    of    the    original    Working 
Men's  Committee,  was  also  called  upon  to  speak,  and  in 
a  speech  of  much  humour  referred  to  the  beneficial  opera- 
tion of  the  free  libraries  and  other  similar  institutions. 
The  first  year's   working  of  the  new   branch   showed 
that  its  3,446  volumes  reached  a  total  of  59,194  records  of 
issue  to  2,303  borrowers.    In  1 870  the  building  was  enlarged 
by  including  in  it   the  portion  which  had   previously  been 
used  as  the  dwelling  of  the  librarian.    Again  in  1885  it  was 
found   necessary   to   increase  the  accommodation,  which 
was   done  by  the  removal  of  some  houses  adjoining  the 
building.     A   boys'   room   was   also    formed   beneath  the 
newsroom  extension,  and  opened  on  October  12th,  1885. 

DONATIONS   AND   GIFTS. 
This  year,  i860,  was  fruitful  in  gifts  to  the  stock  of 
books  in  the  libraries.   Upwards  of  1,000  volumes  of  works 


DONATIONS    AND     GIFTS. 


57 


chiefly  of  an  educational  character,  were  presented  by 
their  respective  publishers.  Lord  Overstone  gave  a  set  of 
his  reprints  of  scarce  tracts  on  Commerce,  and  Mr.  James 
Heyvvood  a  set  of  the  Camden  Society's  publications, 
together  with  other  works.  A  society  entitled  the 
"  Scientific  Library  Association  "  was  also  formed,  having 
for  its  object  the  purchase  of  scientific  books  to  be 
deposited  in  the  reference  library.  They  set  before 
themselves  a  magnificent  ideal,  nothing  less  than  "  to 
deposit  in  the  library  all  the  best  books  on  the  manufacuring 
industry,  statistics,  antiquities,  engineering,  mining, 
geology,  chemistry,  mineralogy,  meteorology,  astronomy, 
natural  history,  botany,  anatomy  and  physiology,  com- 
parative anatomy,  &c."  There  may  have  been  glorious 
virtue  in  that  "&c.,"  but  human  hopes  and  human  intentions 
are  ofttimes  vain,  and  so  it  proved  with  this  association, 
which  existed  only  about  a  year,  during  which  time  it 
presented  to  the  library  the  numbers,  as  published,  of 
fifteen  scientific  periodicals,  Ure's  Dictionary  of  Aris, 
Hussey's  Mycology  and  twenty-nine  other  volumes.  In  the 
following  year,  i86i,  the  library  of  the  Miles  Platting 
Mechanics'  Institution,  numbering  about  2,oco  volumes, 
was  presented  to  the  Rochdale  Road  Branch  ;  and  about 
200  volumes  relating  to  the  Society  of  Friends  were  given 
by  the  Manchester  Meeting  of  that  Society. 

Among  the  gifts  to  the  Library  about  this  time  was 
one  of  the  most  curious  that  possibly  has  ever  been  made 
to  such  an  Institution.  This  was  presented  by  the  Directors 
of  the  Mechanics'  Institution,  and  consisted  of  a  collection 
of  plaster  casts,  made  for  the  once  famous  phrenologists, 
Messrs.  Gall  and  Spurzheim,  and  completed  by  Mr.  Wm. 
Bally,  an  apostle  of  theirs,  who  practised  the  occult 
science  of  phrenology  in  Manchester.  The  casts  number-  ' 
ing  some  760,   included    the  heads  of  statesmen,   poets, 


58  THE    REFERENCE    LIBRARY    CATALOGUE. 

\  lawyers,  murderers,  and  other  celebrated  gentlemen  of  the 
past  and  of  the  generation  then  present,  and  were  placed 

\  on  exhibition  in  an  upper  room  in  the  Reference  Library. 
After  some  years  the  collection  was  sent  to  the  Museum 

V  in  Queen's  Park,  belonging  to  the  Corporation. 

THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY  CATALOGUE  QUESTION. 
Even  prior  to  the  Library  being  formally  vested  in 
the  Corporation,  much  discussion  had  taken  place  on  the 
subject  of  a  catalogue.  There  was  great  diversity  of 
opinion  among  the  members  of  the  original  committee  on 
this  important  question,  but  ultimately  Mr.  Edwards  drew 
up  a  special  report,  in  which  he  proposed  a  plan  for  a 
classified  catalogue,  supplemented  by  two  indexes,  one  of 
authors,  and  the  other  of  topics.  His  classification  was 
founded  on  the  well-known  system  of  Brunet,  with 
modifications  to  meet  the  special  exigencies  of  the  case. 
This  plan  was  adopted  by  the  committee,  and  the  work 
was  in  preparation  when  Mr.  Edwards  resigned.  His 
successor  carried  on  the  task  on  the  same  lines,  and  the 
first  volume,  containing  the  books  in  Class  I.,  Theology, 
was  printed  in  i860.  But  little  progress  was,  however, 
afterwards  made,  and  the  committee,  becoming  dissatisfied 
with  the  long  delay,  advertised  in  May,  1862,  for  a 
competent  person  to  prepare  a  catalogue  of  the  books  in 
the  reference  library,  then  numbering  about  30,000 
volumes.  Amongst  the  applicants  was  Mr.  Andrea 
Crestadoro,  Ph.D.,  whose  offer  to  complete  the  catalogue 
within  two  years  was  accepted.  The  catalogue  was 
finished  within  the  specified  time,  and  was  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  public  in  1864.  It  consists  of  two  parts,  the 
first  being  a  list  of  authors'  names  in  alphabetical  order, 
anonymous  works  being  placed  under  their  subject,  and 
the  second  an  index  of  subjects.     The  work  gave  great 


THE    HULME    BRANCH.  59 

satisfaction,  and  on  Mr.  Smiles's  resignation  of  the  chief 
Hbrarianship  in  April,  1864,  after  an  official  service  of  six 
years.  Dr.  Crestadoro  was  appointed  his  successor. 

THE    HULME    BRANCH. 

Councillor  Thomas  Baker  was  elected  Chairman  of 
the  Committee  in  1864,  and  the  first  official  duty  of 
importance  he  performed  was  the  opening  of  a  new 
building  for  the  Hulme  Branch  Library.  The  inaugural 
meeting  was  held  in  the  Hulme  Town  Hall,  Stretford 
Road,  on  June  15th,  1866.  Among  those  present  were 
William  Bowker,  the  Mayor  of  Manchester  ;  Councillor 
Baker,  Chairman  of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee  ;  Alder- 
men Bennett,  Clark,  Bake,  and  Rumney ;  Councillors 
Stracey,  Warburton,  Brougham,  T.  Warburton,  Vertegans, 
Whitehouse,  Marshall,  Mc.Gill,  Ingham,  Jas.  Nield,  Murray, 
Heys,  G.  Booth,  Alcock,  Wm.  Booth,  Joseph  Thompson, 
Ashmore,  Townsend,  Ashton,  Clowes,  Anderson,  Craston, 
Dyson,  Eastwood,  Hampson,  Swanwick,  Grantham,  Birch, 
Hope,  Craven,  and  Livesley  ;  the  Rev.  F.  C.  Woodhouse, 
Incumbent  of  St.  Mary's,  Hulme  ;  the  Rev.  Canon  Toole 
(Roman  Catholic),  St.  Wilfred's  ;  the  Rev.  Jas.  Gwyther 
(Independent)  ;  the  Rev.  Geo.  Bowden  (Wesleyan)  ;  the 
Rev.  S.  A.  Steinthal  (Unitarian) ;  the  Rev.  John  Henn  ; 
Professor  Greenwood,  of  Owens  College  ;  Saml.  Crompton, 
M.D.,  Mr.  C.  Swallow,  Mr.  Richard  Haworth,  Mr.  Thos. 
Schofield,  Capt.  Palin,  Chief  Constable  ;  Mr.  R.  H.  Gibson, 
Mr.  W.  Griffiths,  Mr.  Harry  Rawson ;  A.  Crestadoro, 
Ph.D.,  Principal  Librarian  ;  Mr.  Talbot,  Assistant  Town 
Clerk  ;  Mr.  Martin,  City  Treasurer  ;  Mr.  Lynde,  City 
Surveyor,  and  others. 

Xhe  company  proceeded  to  the  new  Library  and 
Newsroom,  the  convenience  and  spaciousness  of  which 
elicited    general    expressions    of    approbation.       At    the 


6o  THE    HULME    BRANCH. 

public  meeting  which  followed,  the  Chair  was  taken  by 
Mr.  Thomas  Baker,  as  Chairman  of  the  Free  Libraries 
Committee.  From  the  commencement  of  the  proceedings 
the  spacious  hall  was  crowded  in  every  part. 

The  Chairman,  in  opening  the  proceedings,  said  : — 
The  inhabitants  of  Hulme  well  knew  that  during  theJast 
two  or  three  years  a  very  Handsome  building  had  been 
rising  adjoining  the  Town  Hall,  in  which  they  were  now 
assembled  ;  and  they  would  also  know  that  that  build- 
ing was  intended  to  be  devoted  to  the  purposes  of  a 
Library  and  a  Newsroom  for  the  free  use  of  anybody 
who  chose  to  frequent  them.  It  would  also  be  known  to 
most  people  that  the  management  of  the  Free  Libraries 
and  Newsrooms  in  Manchester  was  vested  in  a  Com- 
mittee of  the  Corporation.  That  Committee  had  thought 
it  desirable  that  the  opening  of  this  large  institution 
should  be  commemorated  by  a  public  meeting,  and  they 
had,  for  that  purpose,  invited  the  attendance  of  the 
public  that  evening.  In  introducing  the  work  of  the 
evening,  it  was  not  his  endeavour  to  make  a  long  speech. 
He  preferred  to  confine  his  remarks  to  the  origin  and 
progress  of  the  Free  Library  in  the  township  of  Hulme. 
Gentlemen  might,  perhaps,  be  aware  that  the  first  branch 
Library  in  Manchester  was  established  in  Hulme,  and 
he  must  say  that  the  23rd  of  November,  1857,  when  the 
Library  was  opened,  was  a  very  great  day  for  that  tow-n- 
ship.  The  building  in  which  the  books  were  placed  and 
then  offered  for  perusal,  was  a  comparatively  insignificant 
building,  and  its  pretensions  were  very  small.  But  it 
was  quite  clear  after  the  first  few  months  that  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  district  intended  to  avail  themselves  fully  of 
the  advantages  that  were  proffered  to  them.  He  pro- 
posed to  give  them,  in  the  first  instance,  an  account  of 
the  number  of  readers  from  the  time  of  its  establishment 
to  the  present  year,  and  then  they  would  be  able  to 
judge  for  themselves  whether  the  Library  had  answered 
the  purpose  for  which  it  was  established.  In  the  first 
year  of  its  being  opened,  when  the  books  were  located 
in  a  comparatively  small  house  on  that  side  of  the  road, 
and  not  very  far  from  the  room  in  which  they  were 
assembled,  215  volumes  per  day  were  issued,  making 
during    the    year    an    aggregate    of    50,129    volumes. 


THE    HULME    BRANCH.  6i 

Upwards  of  50,000  volumes  were  read  during  the  first 
year  of  the  Hbrary  being  established,  though  that  year 
had  comprised  only  233  days,  for  the  report  of  the  free 
libraries  has  always  been  made  up  to  the  5th  of 
September,  and  the  report  was  made  up  to  the  month  of 
September  in  that  year.  In  the  second  year  of  its 
establishment  226  volumes  per  day  were  issued,  or  an 
aggregate  of  67,231  volumes  per  year.  In  the  third  year 
of  its  establishment  the  daily  issue  was  231,  the  aggregate 
issue  for  the  year  64,598  volumes.  In  the  fourth  year  the 
daily  issue  was  257,  the  aggregate  for  the  year  being 
77,395  volumes.  In  the  fifth  year  the  daily  issue  was 
305  volumes  per  day,  and  the  yearly  aggregate  91,763. 
In  the  sixth  year  the  daily  issue  was  319,  and  the 
aggregate  issue  close  upon  96,000.  In  the  seventh  year 
the  daily  issue  was  296,  and  the  aggregate  during  the 
year  89,000.  During  the  last  year  ending  September, 
1865.  the  daily  issue  was  318,  and  the  aggregate  for  the 
year  nearly  96,000  volumes.  If  those  who  were  now 
sitting  before  him  had  been  the  committee  who  had  the 
management  of  this  library,  they  would  say  that  an 
institution  which  issued  96,000  books  in  the  course  of  the 
year  deserved  a  better  and  more  commodious  lodging 
than  that  in  which  the  library  was  then  located.  There 
was  thus  abundant  evidence  for  supposing  that  a  larger 
number  of  readers  would  present  themselves,  and  that  a 
much  larger  number  of  volumes  would  be  issued  if  the 
accommodation  was  increased.  So  thought  the  com- 
mittee, and  they  brought  the  subject  before  the  council, 
who,  he  was  happy  to  say,  approved  of  it,  and  authorised 
the  erection  of  the  handsome  building  they  had  met  to 
inaugurate.  When  the  library  was  first  opened  there  were 
only  3,036  volumes  in  it,  but  last  September  it  contained 
more  than  double  that  number.  In  order  to  give  the  meet- 
ing some  idea  of  the  class  of  works  of  which  the  library 
consisted,  he  would  read  to  them  a  few  statistics  of  the 
classification.  On  theology  and  philosophy  there  were 
187  volumes  ;  history,  biography,  voyages,  and  travels, 
1,957;  politics,  commerce,  &c.,  87;  science  and  arts,  510; 
general  literature,  3,730  ;  and  books  for  the  blind,  20. 
He  wished  to  make  one  or  two  remarks  with  reference  to 
those  books  for  the  blind.  Some  time  ago  it  was 
suggested  that  they  should  have  in  their  free  libraries  a 
complete  set  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  printed  in  embossed 


2  THE    HULME    BRANCH. 

characters  for  the  use  of  the  bhnd.  The  cost  was  con- 
siderable, but  the  committee  incurred  the  cost,  and 
divided  the  books  amongst  the  branch  hbraries,  so  that 
in  every  branch  there  would  now  be  found  some  portion 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  the  blind  might  have  the 
use  of  by  applying  for.  The  result  had  been  in  every 
way  satisfactory,  and  he  believed  the  books  had  been  a 
source  of  comfort  to  those  who  were  to  some  extent  shut 
out  from  society  by  the  loss  of  sight.  Light  literature 
seemed  to  be  in  the  greatest  demand  by  the  readers,  but 
works  of  a  heavier  character  received  a  very  fair  share  of 
attention.  In  the  annual  report  of  the  Manchester 
Public  Free  Libraries  there  are  classified  tables  as  to  the 
kind  of  books  that  are  read.  He  had  now  lying  before 
him  the  report  for  the  year  1864,  from  which  he  would 
give  examples  of  some  of  the  issues  in  Hulme.  First,  as 
regards  the  Magazines  :  Temple  Bar,  CornJiill,  London 
Society,  Once  a  Week,  All  the  Year  Round,  and  Chambers' 
Journal  were  issued  between  40  and  50  times  in  the 
course  of  the  year ;  Lamb's  Tales  from  Shakspere, 
Lloyd's  Scandinavian  Adventures,  Kinglake's  Crimean 
War,  Livingstone's  Travels  in  Africa,  and  Waugh's 
Lancashire  Sketches  were  issued  between  30  and  40 
times  in  the  course  of  the  year  ;  Macaulay,  Du  Chaillu, 
Smiles,  Ruskin,  Bunyan,  Colenso,  Fox,  Arnold,  and 
Robertson  were  favourite  authors.  The  Steam-Engine, 
Arithmetic,  Book-keeping,  Political  Economy,  Chemis- 
try, and  Music  were  subjects  which  came  in  for  their 
share  of  attention.  In  the  nth  report,  the  authors  of 
prose  fiction  most  read  were  set  down,  and  Bulwer 
Lytton  was  at  the  head  of  them  ;  then  followed  Cooper, 
De  Stael,  Dickens,  Ainsworth,  and  Sir  Walter  Scott. 
Poetry  had  its  readers,  and  Tennyson,  Moore,  Byron, 
Longfellow,  Burns,  and  Scott  had  their  respective 
admirers.  He  was  not  aware  he  could  tell  them  any- 
thing more  about  the  Library,  but  he  might  say  a 
few  words  about  the  Newsroom.  The  number  of 
daily  visitors  to  this  in  i860,  was  327  ;  in  1861,  364  ;  in 
1864,  378;  and  in  1865,  400.  Gentlemen  who  knew 
how  small  and  inadequate  for  such  a  purpose  were  the 
rooms  in  the  building  recently  occupied  as  a  Free 
Library  would,  he  was  sure,  wonder  how  there  could 
have  been  so  many  as  400  persons  frequenting  them 
daily  ;    and  would  agree  with  him  in  saying  that  it  was 


THE    HULME    BRANCH.  63 

quite  time  an  effort  should  be  made  to  afford  greater 
accommodation  than  they  had  hitherto  possessed.  Jt 
had  been  recorded  that  when  the  poll  was  taken  in 
Hulme  for  the  adoption  of  the  Free  Libraries  Act  in 
Manchester,  six  ratepayers  voted  at  the  township  office 
of  Hulme  against  it.  He  wished  those  six  persons  were 
present,  that  they  might  hear  the  statement  he  had  made 
as  to  the  success  of  Free  Libraries  here  ;  for  if  they  did 
he  felt  sure  they  would  admit  themselves  in  error,  and 
would  make  every  effort  to  establish  them  now  where 
not  established.  The  design  of  the  new  building  origi- 
nated in  the  surveyors'  department  of  the  Manchester 
Town  Hall.  How  well  it  was  adapted  for  the  purpose, 
had  been  mentioned  to  him  by  many  persons  that  night. 
The  newsroom  was  fit  for  a  queen  to  read  in.  One  word 
as  to  the  cost,  and  he  had  done  ;^4,ooo  was  the  amount 
which  had  been  spent  in  its  erection  and  internal  fittings, 
and  the  land  was  subject  to  a  chief  rent  of  ^50.  He 
hoped  and  trusted  the  inhabitants  of  Hulme  would  show 
their  appreciation  of  it,  and  thus  let  the  Libraries 
Committee  see  that  their  efforts  in  the  erection  of  that 
building  had  not  been  in  vain. 

The  Mayor,  Alderman  Bowker,  said :  He  had  the 
greatest  pleasure  in  appearing  before  them  on  that 
occasion,  as  he  had  been  connected  with  the  Man- 
chester Free  Libraries  from  their  commencement,  and 
during  the  time  they  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the 
corporation.  When  first  proposed,  the  value  of  Free 
Libraries  was  little  understood.  The  public  were  afraid 
of  them  and  looked  upon  them  with  jealousy  ;  in  some 
places  the  proposition  to  establish  them  was  rejected 
altogether.  That  shadow  has  passed  away  and  a  light 
has  dawned  upon  the  public  mind.  The  experience  of 
a  dozen  years  has  proved  the  immense  benefit  they  are 
capable  of  conferring  on  the  people.  In  conclusion,  he 
would  now  declare  the  Hulme  Branch  Free  Library 
open  to  the  public,  free  of  any  charge  whatever — the 
working  man,  the  rich  and  poor,  high  and  low,  had  a 
right  to  enter  its  doors  and  avail  themselves  of  the 
advantages  it  offered.  He  hoped  the  inhabitants  of 
Hulme,  who  had  hitherto  used  the  library  to  an  extent 
which  did  them  great  credit,  would  use  it  still  more, 
especially  as  they  would  now  have  a  beautiful  and  com- 


64  THE    HULME    BRANCH, 

fortable  reading-room,  in  which  they  would  find  it  far 
more  profitable  to  spend  an  hour  than  spending  their 
time  in  a  beer-house  or  public-house. 

The  Rev.  F.  C.  Woodhouse,  M.A.,  Rector  of  St. 
Mary's,  Hulme,  read  the  following  sentiment — 

That  this  meeting  expresses  its  hearty  gratification 
at  the  establishment  of  a  Branch  Free  Library 
in  Hulme,  and  said 

It  afforded  him  much  pleasure  to  take  part  in  the 
proceedings  of  that  day,  and  to  see  the  Hulme  Branch  of 
the  Free  Library  transferred  to  a  more  commodious  and 
more  worthy  building  ;  for  the  work  which  they  were 
doing  that  day  was  one  that  would  be  beneficial  not  to 
the  present  generation  only,  but  to  many  generations  to 
come.  It  would  afford  to  all  persons,  especially  to  those 
who  might  otherwise  be  deprived  of  it,  the  privilege  of 
access  to  a  good  library  of  entertaining,  instructive, 
improving  books— no  small  advantage  this.  For,  what 
do  we  mean  by  books,  but  the  written  thoughts  of  the 
minds  of  men — men  perhaps  long  dead,  but  still  living 
to  us  in  their  works — men  who  have  been  highly  gifted 
by  nature,  and  who  have  improved  their  gifts  by  culture 
and  by  years  of  study  and  labour,  and  whose  learning 
and  experience  and  discoveries  are  open  to  us  in  the 
pages  they  have  handed  down  to  us.  The  labour  of  a 
life — the  deep  thoughts  of  the  greatest  minds, — these  are 
free  to  us,  and  we  may  make  ourselves  the  happy 
possessors  of  them  by  the  perusal  of  a  moderate-sized 
volume  ;  so  that  where  a  life  of  mental  labour  ended  we 
may  begin,  and  reap  the  rich  harvest  which  others  have 
sown  and  toiled  long  to  secure.  The  foundations  are  laid, 
the  materials  are  supplied,  it  only  requires  a  little  steady 
labour,  a  little  perseverance,  and  withal  a  most  pleasurable 
occupation  of  time  to  gain  a  store  of  knowledge  which 
generations  before  us  never  could  attain  to,  and  which  will 
be  to  the  possessor  a  never-failing  source  of  satisfaction — a 
real  exaltation  of  his  character  and  mental  status,and  itself 
a  foundation  whereon  to  build  fresh  structures  in  one  or 
other  of  the  almost  numberless  departments  of  knowledge. 
All  of  us  know  the  pleasure  of  walking  through  beautiful 
parks  and  gardens  ;  we  see  and  enjoy  the  soft,  elastic 
turf,  the  wide  slopes,  the  graceful  undulations,  and  the 
shady  woods  ;  we  revel  in  the  sweet  scent  of  flowers. 


THE   HULME  BRANCH.  65 

and  gaze  with  delight  at  their  lovely  colours  and  graceful 
forms.  The  floral  wealth  of  the  world  is  gathered  for 
our  enjoyment;  tropical  plants  of  strange  form,  exquisite 
foliage,  delicate  pencillings,  infinite  variety,  all  this  is  ours 
for  the  time,  the  owner  cannot  monopolize  the  whole 
fruits  of  his  taste,  and  labour,  and  expenditure,  and  he 
seldom  is  so  selfish  as  to  wish  it ;  if  only  we  have  the 
taste  and  feeling  to  appreciate  all  the  wonders  and 
beauties  gathered  at  that  place,  then,  for  the  time  at 
least,  they  are  ours,  and  we  need  envy  no  one,  but  rather 
rejoice  in  our  present  pleasure,  and  come  away  refined 
and  refreshed,  having  our  minds  stored  with  many  a 
pleasant  thought,  and  our  imagination  raised  from  sensual 
and  sordid  things  to  things  high,  and  pure,  and  lovely, 
worthy  of  the  attention  of  intelligent  and  immortal  beings 
made  in  the  image  of  God.  And  is  not  the  great  world 
of  books  a  field  of  pleasure  of  such  a  kind  ?  From  every 
quarter  of  the  world,  from  every  country,  there  is  a 
contribution  of  literary  wealth  of  thoughts,  of  experience, 
of  imagination,  free  to  all  ;  history,  science,  biography, 
poetry,  travels,  with  all  their  varied  treasures,  suited  to 
the  tastes  of  every  class  of  readers  ;  instruction  for  the 
enquiring,  thoughts  for  the  thoughtful,  experience  for 
those  who  are  wise  enough  to  feel  their  want  of  it,  an 
endless  supply  for  the  endless  demand  for  knowledge, 
which  the  mind  of  man,  rightly  exercised,  is  sure  to 
make.  Hear  what  the  great  Lord  Bacon  said  about 
books  :  'The  images  of  men's  wits  and  knowledges 
remain  in  books,  exempted  from  the  wrongs  of  time,  and 
capable  of  perpetual  renovation.  Neither  are  they  fitly 
called  images,  because  they  generate  still,  and  cast  their 
seeds  into  the  minds  of  others,  provoking  and  causing 
infinite  actions  and  opinions  in  succeeding  ages ;  so 
that  if  the  invention  of  the  ship  was  thought  noble, 
which  carrieth  riches  and  commodities  from  place  to 
place,  and  consociateth  the  most  remote  regions  in  parti- 
cipation of  their  fruits,  how  much  more  are  letters  to  be 
magnified,  which,  as  ships,  pass  through  the  vast  seas  of 
time,  and  make  ages  so  distant  to  participate  of  wisdom, 
illuminations,  and  inventions,  the  one  of  the  other.' 
Surely  these  words  may  be  re-echoed  by  anyone  who 
has  head  and  heart,  and  who  has  sympathy  with  the 
wondrous  powers  of  the  human  mind — the  deep  yearn- 
ings of  the  human  heart — the  great  and  varied  doings  of 

E 


66  THE   HULME   BRANCH. 

men  in  all  ages  and  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  And  if 
Lord  Bacon  spoke  in  this  way  of  books  in  his  day,  what 
would  he  say  if  he  could  live  now  in  the  midst  of  the 
wonderful  supply  of  books,  so  vastly  greater  than 
he  ever  knew  or  imagined  ?  for  now  the  difficulty  is  not 
so  much  to  get  books  on  any  subject  as  to  find  time  to 
read  them.  In  this  busy  age,  and  pre-eminently  in  this 
busy  place,  most  men  have  more  to  do  than  they  have  time 
to  do  it  in.  But,  at  any  rate,  the  want  of  means  to  buy 
books  need  not  hinder  those  who  have  the  desire  to 
read  ;  for  these  free  libraries  bring  almost  to  a  man's  door 
the  means  of  gratifying  his  wishes  in  a  way  that  no 
former  generation  ever  enjoyed.  But,  while  we  say  this, 
we  must  not  forget  that  upwards  of  200  years  ago  the 
good  Humphrey  Chetham  founded  the  first  free  library  in 
England,  here  in  Manchester.  And  we  should  especially 
remember  it  to-day,  when  we  are  engaged  in  promoting 
the  same  good  work  in  a  more  extended  way.  In  this 
work,  then,  he  rejoiced  to  take  part,  in  however  humble 
a  way,  feeling  sure  that  in  that  noble  room,  that  day 
opened,  thousands  will  find  pleasure  that  will  entail  no 
regrets,  wealth  that  will  bring  with  it  no  cares,  and  which 
none  can  take  away,  employment  suitable  for  the  mind 
in  every  stage  of  life  from  youth  to  age,  and  gain  that 
will  make  no  one  else  poorer. 

Councillor  Marshall  said  that  the  first  premises 
used  for  the  Hulme  Branch  Free  Library  were  at  a 
rental  of  ^^38  a  year,  which  after  a  short  time  were  found 
insufficient  for  the  purpose,  and  other  premises  were 
taken  at  a  rent  of  £60  a  year.  Municipal  institutions 
were  without  doubt  of  great  advantage  to  the  community, 
particularly  to  out-townships.  If  Hulme  had  been  left 
to  itself,  it  would  have  been  many  years  before  it  could 
have  reared  such  a  beautiful  structure  as  had  been  that 
day  opened  by  the  Mayor.  He  believed  that  the  opening 
of  a  Branch  Library  was  an  epoch  in  the  history  of 
Hulme,  and  that  this  day's  proceedings  would  also  be 
considered  a  circumstance  to  remember  with  pleasure. 
He  considered  free  libraries  as  institutions  of  a  progres- 
sive age — institutions  aiding,  in  a  material  degree,  the 
enlightened  civilisation  of  the  day.  He  for  one  looked 
forward  to  the  time  when  such  advantages  would  arise 
from  these  and  kindred  institutions  as  the  present  age 
could  scarcely  conceive. 


THE  HULME  BRANCH.  67 

Mr.  Richard  Havvorth  said  that  it  was  the  first 
time  he  had  had  the  pleasure  and  opportunity  of  being 
on  these  premises.  He  often  passed  them,  and  ahvays 
admired  them.  He  thought  the  buildings  did  great 
credit  to  the  Committee  who  had  had  charge  of  their 
erection.  They  were  substantial,  commodious,  con- 
venient, central,  and  sufficiently  ornamental  ;  for,  whilst 
there  was  an  entire  absence  of  everything  pretentious, 
yet  they  combined  so  much  beauty  of  architecture  as  to 
command  attention  and  elevate  the  tastes  of  the  people. 
The  sentiment  put  into  his  hand  was — 

That  this  meeting  expresses  its  hearty  gratification 
at  the  establishment  of  the  Branch  Free  Library 
in  Hulme. 

The  thought  which  lay  at  the  foundation  of  this  reso- 
lution was,  that  a  free  library  was  a  good  thing,  and 
fortunately  at  present  there  were  very  few  if  any 
who  doubted  its  usefulness,  for,  the  experience  of  society 
since  its  establishment  had  been  such  as  to  remove  all 
question  of  its  utility,  it  is  now  an  admitted  fact.  Then, 
if  a  free  library  was  a  good  thing,  it  was  important  its 
benefits  should  be  brought  within  the  reach  of  those  for 
whose  use  it  was  intended,  that  they  might  have  no 
difficulty  in  availing  themselves  of  its  advantages,  hence, 
this  meeting  had  reason  '  to  express  its  hearty  grati- 
fication at  the  establishment  of  this  Branch  Library  in 
Hulme,'  for  the  situation  is  so  central,  and  the  conditions 
so  simple  and  reasonable,  that  none  need  be  deprived  of 
its  use  who  are  at  all  worthy  of  its  privileges.  Reference 
was  made  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  VVoodhouse  to  the  Chetham 
Library.  It  was  a  library  that  reflected  great  credit  and 
honor  upon  the  princely  person  who  left  the  money  for 
its  endowment,  but  it  had  unfortunately  been  of  com- 
paratively little  service  from  the  fact  of  its  having  so 
many  conditions  and  limitations,  such  as,  for  instance, 
that  the  books  must  be  read  on  the  premises,  at  hours 
which  virtually  exclude  the  mass  of  the  people  ;  and 
although  many  books  in  that  library  are  of  immense 
value  as  works  of  reference,  yet  the  great  bulk  of  them 
are  not  such  as  the  people  generally  take  an  interest  in. 
The  Public  Free  Library  endeavoured  to  meet  these 
objections   in    supplying    what    the    people    require — in 


68  THE  HULME  BRANCH. 

meeting   their  circumstances    as  far    as  practicable,  by 
establishing  branch  libraries. 

The  Rev.  James  Gwyther  said  it  had  been  his 
privilege  to  labour  for  nearly  forty  years  amongst  the 
population  of  Hulme,  and  to-day  he  seemed  to  feel  a 
deeper  interest  in  the  township  than  he  had  ever  done 
before.  He  looked  back  and  traced  with  great  delight 
the  progress  which  had  been  made,  and  for  much  that 
had  been  done  he  offered,  in  the  name  of  his  fellow- 
townsmen,  his  warm  and  grateful  thanks  to  the 
Corporation  of  Manchester.  When  first  he  came  to 
reside  here,  Hulme  was  a  far  different  place  to  what  was 
seen  to-day.  Its  unpaved  streets  and  defective  police 
arrangements  were  things  of  the  past.  Of  public 
buildings,  St.  George's  Church  was  the  only  one  that 
deserved  the  name.  That  was  then  an  ornament,  and  it 
continued  to  be  an  ornament  to  the  township ;  but 
much  had  been  done  since  then,  both  to  improve  and 
adorn.  Much  of  this  was  due  to  the  intelligent  activity 
of  the  Corporation  ;  and  among  the  good  things  which 
they  had  done  there  was  nothing  which  yielded  to  his 
mind  more  thorough  satisfaction  than  the  erection  of 
the  noble  pile  of  buildings  in  which  the  meeting  had 
now  assembled.  Not  only  were  the  arrangements 
excellent,  and  the  accommodation  suited  to  the  various 
purposes  for  which  the  hall  was  intended,  but  the  taste 
displayed,  both  on  the  interior  and  exterior,  gave  to  the 
whole  an  educational  and  refining  character.  This 
quality  enhanced  its  value — whilst  it  gratified  the  eye  it 
refined  the  taste,  and  would  minister  to  the  self-respect 
of  the  people,  so  that  their  fellow-townsmen  might  well 
be  proud  of  the  hall  in  which  they  were  met,  and 
especially  of  the  noble  Library  which  was  that  day 
opened.  The  resolution  which  he  had  been  requested 
to  move  was  that  '  recognising  the  value  of  reading  as 
a  means  of  elevating  the  public  taste,  this  meeting 
rejoices  in  the  erection  of  this  commodious  building  in 
Hulme  for  a  Free  Library  and  Newsroom.'  Who,  he 
asked,  could  have  heard,  without  a  blush,  reflections 
which  had  been,  not  unjustly,  cast  upon  the  country 
for  the  ignorance  and  moral  degradation,  for  the 
removal  of  which  too  little  had  yet  been  done? 
But  all   was   not   dark.     Besides  the  establishment   of 


THE  HULME  BRANCH.  69 

schools,  something  else  had  been  done  and  was  doing  to 
awaken  a  desire  for  knowledge,  to  quicken  the  intellect, 
refine  the  tastes,  and  elevate  the  feelings.  He  spoke  not 
now  of  direct  moral  or  religious  means,  but  of  indirect 
and  powerful  agencies.  The  penny  newspaper  had  been 
and  was  a  mighty  agent  ;  the  improved  class  of  light 
literature,  as  well  as  of  scientific  information  which  was 
flowing  so  plentifully  from  the  press,  had  accomplished 
much,  and  would  mightily  help  forward  the  work.  And 
now  that  the  artizans,  and  every  other  man  in  the  com- 
munity had  free  access  to  a  large,  handsome,  well- 
ventilated,  and  well-lighted  room,  well  furnished  with 
newspapers  and  periodicals,  with  an  extensive  and  well 
furnished  library  at  his  command,  it  might  be  hoped  that 
many  would  be  detached  from  those  haunts  where  the 
indulgences  only  debase  and  degrade.  That  many  had 
already  found  rich  benefits  could  not  be  doubted.  Of 
these,  some  instances  were  already  known  ;  one  example 
he  would  name.  A  youth,  well  known  to  him,  had  been 
employed  in  a  warehouse  in  the  city.  Having  an  hour 
and  a  quarter  allowed  for  dinner,  he  regularly  spent 
three-quarters  of  an  hour  in  the  Library  in  Campfield. 
Nor  was  it  in  works  of  fiction  his  time  had  been  spent. 
Of  these  he  had  no  complaint  to  make  when  the  style 
was  pure  and  the  sentiment  healthful  ;  for  recreation 
they  served  an  important  purpose.  But  this  young 
man's  choice  was  history  ;  and  after  feasting  upon  the 
enchanting  pages  of  Macaulay,  he  followed  a  steady 
course  of  historical  reading,  and  his  present  well-stored 
mind  owed  much  that  it  had  attained  to  the  admirable 
facilities  which  the  Free  Library  first  placed  within  his 
reach.  Following  in  a  corresponding  course,  he  trusted 
many  would  in  future  years  speak  of  this  branch  of  the 
Library  as  having  done  much,  very  much,  to  raise  their 
tastes  and  elevate  their  minds,  training  them  to  be 
intelligent  and  active  citizens,  and  large-hearted 
patriots — an  honour  to  their  country,  and  a  blessing  to 
the  world. 

The  Rev.  Canon  Toole  said  he  had  great  pleasure 
in  supporting  the  sentiment  which  had  been  proposed 
and  seconded,  and  also  in  adding  his  share  to  the  general 
congratulation  on  the  event  of  the  evening,  as  well  as 
the   tribute  of  his  admiration  to   that  which  had   been 


70  THE  HULME   BRANCH. 

already  expressed  respecting  the  beauty  and  fitness  of 
the  new  library.  He  considered  the  library  as  a  most 
beneficial  institution.  It  would  enable  the  youth  of 
Hulme  to  continue  the  education  which  had  begun  in 
their  boyhood's  years,  and  as  their  minds  became  more 
matured,  sound  and  truthful  books  obtained  from  it 
would  furnish  the  material  by  which  they  might  extend 
the  boundary  and  scope  of  that  first  education,  which 
time  and  other  circumstances  had  limited.  In  the 
language  of  the  sentiment  that  had  been  proposed  to 
them,  it  would  be  the  '  means  of  elevating  the  public 
taste,'  by  making  the  public  familiar  with  the  acquire- 
ments of  those  who  were  profound  in  learning,  and  with 
the  sentiments  and  words  of  those  who  possessed  noble, 
refined,  and  cultivated  minds.  This  was  indeed  a  benefit 
of  the  highest  importance  to  a  community.  There  was 
another  ground  for  his  congratulations  with  his  fellow 
citizens  on  this  occasion,  that  this  library  would  be  the 
means  of  increasing  the  sum  of  happiness,  of  domestic 
happiness,  in  so  many  families.  It  would  provide  them 
not  only  with  instruction  in  literature,  in  history,  in  art 
•  and  science,  but  it  would  also  contribute  its  share,  and  a 
great  share,  to  many  a  cheerfully  spent  evening  around 
the  hearth  of  home.  Whilst  the  household  would  listen 
to  the  readers  of  its  books,  age  would  forget  its  cares  in 
the  interest  of  some  narrative,  and  youth  would  fill  its 
mind  with  new  ideas  of  beauty  and  of  wisdom  as  it 
would  hear  of  the  wonders  of  foreign  travel,  or 
appropriate  the  thoughts  of  some  meditative  author.  It 
would  increase  happiness,  for  it  would  add  to  the  comforts 
and  the  joys  of  home,  and  be  the  means  to  win  men 
away  from  the  haunts  of  folly  and  of  dissipation,  where 
too  many  seek  for  pleasure  in  vain  ;  it  would  teach  them 
to  find  a  more  real,  more  exalted,  and  more  permanent 
pleasure ;  one,  if  properly,  virtuously,  and  truthfully 
directed,  unstained  by  guilt  and  unfollowed  by  remorse. 
He  gave  his  most  cordial  support  to  the  sentiment. 

The  Rev.  George  Bowden  moved — 

May  the  inhabitants  of  the  district,  by  largely  availing 
themselves  of  the  Library  and  Newsroom,  testify 
their  appreciation  of  the  great  institution  which 
is  this  evening  inaugurated. 

He  then  said  :    As  pledged  by  my  sacred  calling  to 


THE  HULME  BRANCH.  71 

do  all  I  can  for  the  destruction  of  ignorance  and  wrong, 
I  have  much  pleasure  in  taking  part  in  the  proceedings 
of  this  evening,  for  I  reckon  this  institution  will  be  a 
grand  engine,  helping  in  the  destruction  of  many  forms 
of  ignorance  and  wrong.  Macaulay  says  that  any  given 
generation  very  much  resembles  a  caravan  in  the  desert, 
which,  looking  behind,  sees  waters,  groves,  and  herbage  ; 
and  looking  before,  sees  also  waters,  groves,  and  herbage  ; 
while  underneath,  and  near  to  it,  all  is  barren,  brown, 
and  bare.  But  the  scene  behind  and  before  is  an  illusion. 
It  is  the  mirage  they  soon  discover  if  they  investigate  by 
returning  or  pressing  forward.  This  was  scarcely  the 
thought  of  that  Hulme  generation  which  was  gathered 
in  that  room.  They  seemed  well  satisfied  with  the  pre- 
sent, and  not  disposed  to  be  robbed  of  their  present 
gratification  either  by  *  the  former  days  were  better  than 
these,'  or,  '  there  is  a  good  time  coming.'  And  yet  there 
was  a  sense  in  which  they  resembled  the  caravan. 
According  to  addresses  delivered  there  that  night,  they 
saw  in  the  Hulme  of  the  past,  green  fields  and  running 
streams  ;  and  in  the  Hulme  to  come,  in  their  projected 
new  park  saw  also  the  trees  and  swards  of  good  days  to 
come.  The  resolution  I  have  to  move  is  an  earnest 
invitation  from  the  Libraries  Committee  to  the  in- 
habitants of  this  district.  The  sentiment  is  ^Coine!' 
Come  all  of  you.  Come  soon.  Come  often.  We  have 
selected  the  fattest  and  best  of  our  intellectual  flocks  and 
herds  ;  our  shelves  are  filled  with  the  best  thoughts  of 
the  men  of  the  past ;  our  tables  are  spread  with  the  best 
thoughts  of  the  men  of  the  present  on  passing  events  ; 
we  have  that  which  is  substantial  and  nutritious  ;  we  have 
that  which  is  light  and  pleasant.  Come,  and  devour  what 
we  have  provided.  We  want  you  to  prefer  the  choice 
spirits  on  our  shelves,  rather  than  the  spirits  on  some 
other  shelves  hard  by.  We  want  you  to  relish  the  punch 
of  our  counters  rather  than  that  which  is  offered  too 
plentifully  near.  Choose  Macaulay,  Reid,  Brown,  Scott, 
Thackeray  &  Co.,  before  Old  Tom,  Allsopp,  Barclay, 
Perkins  &  Co.  The  value  of  this  institution  will  much 
depend  on  the  facilities  given  for  access  to  it.  I  enquired 
from  the  chairman  of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee 
'  what  were  the  conditions  on  which  a  man  could  enter 
and  use  the  newsroom  ?  '  '  He  must  be  decently  dressed, 
and  conduct  himself  properly  ;  that  is  all '     I  thought. 


72  THE  HULME  BRANCH. 

'  decently  dressed  ! '  that  is  a  phrase  that  may  have  an 
awkward  and  unpleasant  application  by  some  officious 
doorkeeper,  so  I  said,  '  what  do  you  mean,  sir,  by  being 
decently  dressed  ? '     'I  mean  '  was  the  reply,  '  we  could 
not  do  with  a  sweep  in  his   working  dress,  or  a  man 
filthy.'     '  Oh  ! '    I  said,  '  then  you  mean  that  any  man 
who   is    clean,   and    who   keeps    the   rules,    may    enter 
in    and    avail    himself,    without    questioning,    of    your 
provision?'      'Yes,'    was    the    answer.      So    it    matters 
not  whether  the  dress  is  cotton  or  wool,  coarse  or  fine, 
old  or   new,  you   may   come  and   welcome,  if  you   are 
only  clean  and  you   keep   the   rules.      We   often    find 
that   common    blessings   are   least    valued,   and    cheap 
things    little    prized.      Ladies  are   not  the  only  people 
who  like  things  better  for  being  '  far  fetched  and  dear 
bought.'     It  seems  as  though  vegetables  were  only  valu- 
able  as  they  were  three  months  before  their  season.      [ 
have  often  longed  to  see  in  the  gentleman's  garden  some 
of  the  old  English  flowers.     How  precious  to  Dr.  Carey, 
in  India,  was  the  daisy,  which  we  do  not  notice.     How 
honoured  is  the  sparrow  in  Australia,  and  how  despised 
here.      If  a  glass  of  water  cost  as   much   as   champagne, 
we  should  value  it  more.     Let  it  be  that  you  shall  prize 
this   institution   according  to   its   real   worth  ;  not  only 
Jiave  the   Library,  but  appreciate  it.     This   is   a   '  great 
institution.'     It  is  so  as  an  expression  of  the  enlightened 
thought  and   generous  sentiment  of  this  city.     It  is  an 
expression  of  the  enlightened  thought  of  the  governing 
body.      It  shows  that  they  think  '  we  exist  for  the  good 
of  those  we  govern.'     That  the  people  do  not  exist  for 
the  honour  and  aggrandisement  of  those  who  rule,  but 
those  who   rule  exist  to  seek  the  welfare  of  the  people. 
I  do  not  mean  for  a  moment  to  endorse  the  sentiment, 
'  the  voice  of  the  people  is  the  voice  of  God.'     I  believe 
in  minorities.     I  believe  in  a  higher  source  of  law  and  of 
enlightened    policy   than   the  mere  will  of  the  majority. 
The  governing  power  does   not  exist  to  carry   out   the 
whims  of  the  people.     It  does  so,  when  it  grants  licenses 
to  sell  spirits  to  all  who  ask.     But  when  it  furnishes   to 
the   community  a   library  for   which  there  was  no  very 
loud   demand,   but   which  it  saw   would  do  the  people 
good,   it   was   then   in   advance  of  their  tastes  ;  such  an 
institution    is    an    expression    of    enlightened    thought. 
This    institution    is    an    expression    of   generous    senti- 


THE   HULME   BRANCH.  73 

merit.  It  says  '  we  do  not  want  to  monopolise  the 
pleasures  of  knowledge  to  ourselves.  We  shall 
enjoy  our  subscription  library  and  newsroom  all 
the  better  when  we  know  that  those  who  have 
not  the  means  of  securing  these  things  so  easily 
themselves,  are  thus  amply  and  freely  supplied.  We 
shall  enjoy  our  newspaper  and  octavo  the  more  because 
we  know  that  you  are  not  without  them.'  This  institu- 
tion must  exercise  a  great  influence  on  the  future.  We 
shall  have  an  extension  of  the  franchise.  I  say  this 
without  committing  myself  to  any  special  school  of 
politicians.  I  speak  to  a  fact  which  all  acknowledge. 
It  is  necessary  that  they  who  receive  the  franchise 
should  be  educated  to  the  exercise  of  that  trust.  They 
should  know  who  are  the  leaders  of  thought  in  the  land — 
who  are  the  ablest  statesmen.  They  should  have  access 
to  the  histories  of  nations,  and  treatises  on  political 
economy.  They  should  see  all  sides  of  a  question.  If 
a  man  sees  the  newspaper  at  home,  he  takes  in  one 
paper,  and  sees  matter  on  the  one  side  on  which  the 
editor  or  proprietors  present  it.  If  a  man  read  the  Star, 
I  would  like  him  to  see  the  Standard ;  and  if  he  read 
the  Standard,  I  would  that  he  should  see  the  Times  or 
the  Star.  The  right  and  true  never  suffer  by  thorough 
scrutiny.  Let  him  see  all  sides,  and  he  will  find  that  no 
one  man  or  party  yet  engrossed  all  the  goodness  or  all 
the  wisdom.  It  was  Dr.  Payson's  rule  '  never  live  a  day 
without  trying  to  make  some  one  happy.'  I  am  glad  to 
be  the  instrument  of  giving  this  invitation,  because  I  see 
this  institution  will  give  to  many  much  true  pleasure. 
I  see  many  an  invalid's  room  brightened  by  the  books 
from  the  library.  I  see  many  a  home  circle  made  more 
attractive  and  happy  as  the  father  or  brother  read  aloud 
to  the  gathered  household.  I  see  many  a  little  child 
looking  out  for  his  father's  return  home  from  the  library 
and  eagerly  seizing  the  book  to  see  if  there  are  any 
pictures  there.  I  see  many  a  country  walk  made 
pleasanter  by  the  knowledge  of  strata,  of  insects,  or  of 
plants  gotten  here.  I  see  the  little  George  Stephensons, 
John  Kittos,  and  Hugh  Millers,  with  eager  faces  and 
bright  eyes,  coming  to  renew  their  books,  instead  of 
standing  in  the  cold  at  the  old  bookstall.  Dr.  Chalmers 
says,  the  present  generation  is  the  oldest  and  wisest, 
because  it  inherits  the  work,  thought,  and  experience  of 


74  THE  HULME  BRANCH. 

the  past.  So  it  should  be.  But  if  it  is  to  be  so,  then  the 
stored-up  thought  and  experience  of  the  past  which  is 
found  in  books  must  be  made  easy  of  access  to  all. 

Mr.  Councillor  Nield  moved — 

That  the  warmest  thanks  are  due  and  are  hereby 
tendered  to  the  contributors  of  books  to  the  Free 
Libraries. 

In  putting  this  resolution  the  Chairman  said, — The 
Free  Libraries  Committee  have  only  a  limited  sum  of 
money  at  their  disposal,  namely,  the  produce  of  the 
penny  rate,  which  for  the  present  year  may  be  set  down 
in  round  numbers  as  ^^4,500.  With  this  they  have  to 
meet  the  expenses  of  the  Reference  Library  at  Camp- 
field  and  the  five  Lending  Libraries.  How  the  money 
has  hitherto  been  disposed  of  may  be  seen  by  anyone 
who  will  refer  to  the  proceedings  of  the  City  Council. 
For  the  erection  of  the  New  Branch  Library  and  News- 
room for  Hulme,  the  opening  of  which  had  brought  them 
together  that  evening,  the  Committee  have  had  to  borrow 
money,  and  a  Sinking  Fund  has  had,  consequently,  to  be 
established  for  the  discharge  of  such  loan,  which  will 
absorb  a  certain  sum  of  money  per  annum  out  of  the 
amount  of  the  penny  rate.  The  wear  and  tear  of  books 
in  the  Lending  Libraries  forms  a  considerable  item  of 
expenditure,  and  that  item  will  be  geatly  increased  by 
the  additional  readers  who  will  come  to  the  commodious 
building  they  had  just  finished.  Of  this  wear  and  tear 
they  might  form  some  idea,  when  he  informed  them  that 
within  the  last  month  700  volumes  had  been  thrown  out 
of  the  Hulme  Branch  Library  as  unfit  for  use,  and  they 
have  been  replaced  with  an  addition  making  together 
1,000  volumes,  while  there  is  room  on  the  shelves  for 
1,000  volumes  more.  Now,  if  gentlemen  will  assist  the 
Committee  by  the  contribution  of  books,  they  will  be 
rendering  efficient  aid  in  furtherance  of  the  objects  for 
which  these  lending  libraries  were  established.  They 
will  be  doing  a  great  service  to  the  Committee  and  to  the 
community  in  which  they  live— service,  about  the  utility 
of  which  there  can  be  no  question. 

A  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Baker  for  presiding  at  the 
meeting  concluded  the  proceedings. 

The  Hulme  Branch   building  is   in   the   Italian  style 


THE   CHORLTON  AND   ARDIVICK  BRANCH.  75 

and  of  brick,  with  front  elevation  of  stone.  The  interior 
is  divided  by  a  glass  screen  into  two  parts,  the  one 
nearest  the  entrance  forming  the  library,  and  the  other, 
which  is  reached  by  passing  through  the  library,  forms  the 
newsroom.  The  newsroom  is  a  spacious  hall  about  forty- 
seven  by  forty-three  feet,  open  to  the  roof  and  lighted  on 
three  sides.  Stands,  on  which  newspapers  are  placed,  run 
round  the  walls.  Tables  are  also  ranged  along  the  centre, 
on  which  upwards  of  120  current  numbers  of  periodicals 
are  placed,  and  the  bareness  of  the  walls  is  relieved  by  a 
number  of  engravings. 

The  library  has  shelf-room  for  about  20,000  volumes. 
The  accommodation  which  was  more  than  ample  when 
the  building  was  opened  in  1866,  has  again  become 
inadequate,  and  the  committee  have  by  way  of  relieving 
the  pressure  to  some  extent,  formed  a  boys'  reading-room 
in  the  basement.  This  room,  which  was  opened  on 
September  6th,  1880,  provides  for  over  200  boys. 

THE  CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

This  worthy  accomplishment  did  not  exhaust  the 
activities  of  the  Committee  during  the  record  year  of 
1866,  for  on  October  6th  another,  the  fourth,  branch 
library  was  opened  for  the  accommodation  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  district  of  Chorlton  and  Ardwick. 

The  proceedings  commenced  with  a  Soiree,  which  was 
followed  by  a  Public  Meeting  in  the  Congregational 
Schoolroom,  next  to  the  library  building  in  Rusholme 
Road,  which  was  densely  crowded.  The  Meeting  was 
presided  over  by  Councillor  Thomas  Baker,  Chairman 
of  the  Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries  Committee,  who 
was  supported  by  Wm.  Bowker,  Mayor  of  Manchester, 
the  Earl  of  Shaftesbury,  the  Right  Hon.  Henry  Austin 
Bruce,  M.P.  (afterwards  Lord  Aberdare)  ;    Edward  James, 


76  THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDIVICK  BRANCH. 

Q.C.,  M.P.;  D.  Dudley  Field,  of  New  York  ;  Sir  Eardley 
Wilmot,  Bart;  W.  T.  S.  Daniel,  Q.C.;  Wm.  Fairbairn, 
L.L.D.,  F.R.S.;  Robt.  N.  Philips,  M.P.;  Dr.  Neilson 
Hancock  (Dublin) ;  Rev.  J.  Oakley  (London)  ;  Rev.  W. 
C.  Van  Meter  (Founder  of  Howard's  Mission  and  Home 
for  little  Wanderers,  New  York);  T.  P.  Bunting,  the  Rev. 
Alexander  Thompson,  A.M.  (Independent)  ;  Thomas 
Ashton,  John  Kendall,  (Master  of  Chorlton  High 
School);  Samuel  Crompton,  M.D.;  Charles  Swallow; 
Messrs.  Aldermen  Nicholls,  Curtis,  Crewdson,  Rumney, 
and  Clark;  Councillors  Brougham,  Worthington,  Ingham, 
Wm.  Booth,  Hampson,  Woodward,  Murray,  Nield,  Ver- 
tegans,  Marshall,  Charles  Thompson,  Craston,  Warburton, 
Hopkinson,  Groome,  Hope,  King,  Woodhouse,  Anderton, 
Ashton,  Livesley,  Clowes,  Dyson  ;  Mr.  Lynde,  City  Sur- 
veyor ;  and  Mr.  Talbot,  Assistant  Town  Clerk. 

The  Chairman,  in  opening  the  meeting,  said  : — They 
had  met  that  evening  to  celebrate  the  inauguration  of  a 
new  Branch  of  the  Free  Lending  Library  for  that  city. 
During  the  past  year  the  four  lending  libraries  already 
existing  had  circulated  upwards  of  316,000  volumes,or  an 
average  of  more  than  i  ,000  volumes  per  day.  They 
might  be  sure  that  from  such  a  circulation  there  must  be 
very  great  wear  and  tear  of  books,  some  idea  of  which 
might  be  formed  when  he  told  them  that  during  the  last 
twelve  months  about  1,700  volumes  had  been  thrown  out 
of  circulation  as  unfit  for  use.  The  appearance  of  these 
volumes  suggested  to  him  the  desirability  of  ascertaining 
the  length  of  time  they  had  been  in  circulation,  and  the 
number  of  borrowers  through  whose  hands  they  had 
passed.  On  expressing  his  desire  to  have  some  infor- 
mation on  these  points  to  their  chief  librarian,  Mr. 
Crestadoro,  he  undertook  to  make  the  necessary  investi- 
gation and  communicate  the  result.  And  now  that  he 
had  mentioned  the  name  of  Mr.  Crestadoro,  he  thought 
he  ought  not  to  allow  the  opportunity  to  pass  without 
bearing  his  humble  testimony  to  the  zeal, the  ability,  and 
the  unpretending  demeanour  of  that  gentleman.  If  the 
libraries   had  been  a    success,  he  deserved   to  share  the 


THE    CHORLTON  AND   ARDWICK  BRANCH.  77 

credit  of  it  equally  with  the  Free  Libraries  Commitee. 
Mr.  Crestadoro  furnished  him  with  a  report — and  mark, 
it  was  a  report  prepared  for  his  private  use,  at  a  time 
when  this  meeting  was  not  thought  of,  so  that  they  might 
take  it  as  being  a  simple  statement  of  the  result  of  his 
inquiries.  Sixteen  books  had  been  taken  at  random, 
four  from  each  Lending  Library,  and  on  being 
examined  as  to  the  service  rendered  by  each  before 
being  laid  aside  as  unfit  for  use,  it  was  found  that  each 
volume  had  on  an  average  been  issued  212  times,  and 
that  during  its  circulation  it  had  been  bound  and 
rebound  three  times,  exclusive  of  its  service  in  its 
original  cloth  binding.  Examples  :  The  False  Heir, 
by  Power,  had  been  issued  163  times  in  its  original 
cloth  boards,  140  times  after  its  first  binding,  and 
52  times  after  its  second  binding  ;  total  issues, 
355  times.  You  will  all  admit  that  this  book 
has  done  its  duty.  The  Hunter's  Feast,  by  Reid, 
was  bound  and  placed  in  circulation  in  May,  i86r, 
and    issued    72    times  ;     it    was    rebound    in    January, 

1863,  and  issued  72  times  ;  it  was  bound  a  third 
time  in  June,  1864,  and  issued  50  times  ;  it  was  bound  a 
fourth  time  in  April,  1865,  and  issued  46  times,  the  last 
issue  being  in  May,  1866;  total  issues,  260  times — 
duration  of  service,  five  years.  Con  Cregan,  by  Lever, 
was  placed  in  circulation  in  its  original  cloth  boards  in 
May,  1863,  and  issued  40  times  ;    it  was  bound  in  June, 

1864,  and  issued  42  times  ;  the  last  issue  was  dated  June 
1 2th,  1865  ;  total  issues,  82  times,— service  two  years. 
Once  a  Week,  vol,  4,  bound  and  circulated  in  September 
i86i,and  issued  125  times;  rebound  in  December,  1863, 
and  issued  58  times;  last  issue,  July  nth,  1865  ;  total 
issues,  183  times, — service  three  years  and  eight  months. 
Some  interesting  results  arise  out  of  this  investigation. 
One  volume  is  read  355  times  before  it  becomes  unfit  for 
use,  while  another  is  worn  out  after  82  times  reading.  This 
difference  is  to  be  accounted  for  in  several  ways.  The  qual- 
ity of  the  paper,  the  extent  of  margin,  and  the  goodness 
of  the  first  binding  all  enter  into  the  calculation,  for  if  the 
paper  is  good,  the  margin  ample,  and  the  volume  well 
bound  in  the  first  instance,  it  will  stand  more  wear  and 
tear  than  a  volume  printed  on  poor  paper  with  a  small 
margin  and  whose  binding  is  inferior.  Hence  it  will  appear 
that  cheap  literature  may  not  be  cheap  to  a  lending  library. 


78  THE   CHORLTON  AND  AKDWICK  BRANCH. 

He  would  now  advert  to  the  origin  of  the  Branch  Library, 
the  inauguration  of  which  they  were  met  to  celebrate. 
The  increasing  population  of  the  south  and  south-west 
sides  of  the  city  suggested  to  the  Free  Libraries 
Committee  the  necessity  of  having  another  Branch 
Lending  Library  between  Hulme  and  Ancoats,  and  the 
Council,  on  being  appealed  to,  gave  the  Committee 
authority  to  purchase  the  land  and  building  adjoining 
the  room  in  which  they  were  assembled.  Certain 
alterations  and  additions  were  necessary  for  adapting 
the  premises  to  the  purposes  of  a  library  and  newsroom, 
and  the  Committee  called  in  the  aid  of  Mr.  Alfred 
Waterhouse  as  their  architect.  The  ability  with  which 
he  had  discharged  the  task  imposed  upon  him  they  who 
had  gone  over  the  building  that  evening  would  be  able 
to  judge  of  equally  with  himself  They  would  have 
perceived  how  spacious  and  convenient  the  library  was  ; 
how  spacious  also  and  lofty  the  newsroom  with  its  open 
gothic  roof  The  cost  of  the  building  was  ^4,000,. 
without  the  books,  of  which  they  had  placed  about  4,800 
volumes  on  the  shelves,  a  larger  number  than  had  at 
the  commencement  been  put  in  any  other  of  the  branch 
lending  libraries.  The  shelves  would  hold  double  that 
number,  and  if  the  gentlemen  present  had  any  books 
which  they  were  willing  to  give,  the  Libraries  Com- 
mittee would  thankfully  receive  them.  They  might 
perhaps  be  surprised  that  the  Committee  were  not  able 
to  do  more  in  supplying,  at  its  opening,  a  library  of  that 
character,  but  the  amount  of  money  received  from  the 
id.  rate  was  only  about  ;^4,ooo  per  annum,  of  which 
they  had  for  some  years  past  been  able  to  appropriate 
only  ;^i,000  per  annum  in  the  purchase  and  binding  of 
books.  The  aggregate  number  of  volumes  in  the  four 
Lending  Libraries  was  40,000 ;  when  they  got  that 
branch  in  full  operation  and  the  shelves  filled  they 
would  have  an  aggregate  number  of  50,000.  That 
would  give  them  a  circulation  of  about  1,300  volumes 
per  day.  The  amount  of  practical  good  which  must 
result  from  such  a  circulation  he  would  leave  them 
to  judge,  but  that  the  effect,  both  moral  and 
intellectual,  must  be  very  great  there  could  be  no 
question.  They  might  not  have  amongst  the  readers 
any  mute  inglorious  Milton  ;  they  might  not  have  any 
Dalton,  or  Watt,  or  Arkwright,  but  he  knew  they  had 


THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH.  79 

many  quiet  students  who  applied  themselves  diligently 
to  the  literature  which  was  put  within  their  reach, 
and  there  was  nothing  extravagant  in  believing  that 
amongst  the  30,000  readers  who  annually  used  the 
Reference  Department  for  the  purpose  of  studying  the 
specifications  of  patents,  there  would  be  some  who,  by 
their  discoveries  or  inventions,  would  hereafter  become 
benefactors  to  their  race,  and  do  their  fellow-creatures 
and  the  State  some  service.  He  believed,  too,  that  their 
Lending  Libraries  had  already  been  of  great  use  in 
making  the  social  position  of  masters  and  workmen 
better  understood.  The  principle  was  being  admitted 
that  capital  and  labour  were  not  opposed,  but  were 
mutually  dependent  and  supporting,  and  people  were 
beginning  to  see  that  there  was  not  necessarily  anything 
antagonistic  in  the  relative  position  of  master  and  work- 
man. He  was  not  aware  that  anything  more  remained 
for  him  to  touch  upon,  except  that  he  believed  the  News- 
room about  to  be  opened  would  be  a  success.  It  was  so 
in  the  Hulme  Branch,  where  he  had  gone  frequently  in 
the  evening,  and  counted  as  many  as  200  readers  in  it  at 
one  time.  There  was  every  reason  for  believing  that 
the  Newsroom  attached  to  this  New  Branch  for  Chorlton 
and  Ardwick  would  be  as  well  frequented. 

The  Mayor  (William  Bowker),  said  the  duty  he 
had  to  perform  was  the  simple  one  of  declaring  the 
Rusholme  Road  Branch  Free  Library  open  to  the 
public.  He  had  had  the  pleasure  and  satisfaction  of  work- 
ing in  connection  with  the  Manchester  Free  Libraries 
since  their  commencement.  He  had  watched  their 
progress  from  that  time,  had  seen  their  extension  by 
one  branch  after  another  being  established,  and  had 
witnessed  the  great  good  they  had  effected  amongst  the 
working  classes  by  drawing  them  from  the  beerhouses 
to  which  they  would  otherwise  have  resorted.  Some 
time  ago,  the  Committee  purchased  a  chapel  adjacent  to 
the  building  they  were  then  assembled  in,  which  they 
had  coverted  into  a  Free  Library,  and  he  believed  it 
would  be  a  great  blessing  to  the  district  for  which  it 
was  intended.  Its  doors  were  now  thrown  open.  It 
invited  the  inhabitants  to  come  in  and  see  the  rich  stores 
placed  therein  by  the  Committee.  The  greatest  reward 
which  the  Committee  could  receive  for  their  labours  was 


8o  THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

that  the  public  would  avail  themselves  of  the  facilities 
thus  provided  for  them.  The  Committee  were  now  about 
building  a  Branch  Library  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Ancoats,  and  he  believed  they  would  not  rest  satisfied 
until  they  had  placed  within  reach  of  the  working  men 
of  Manchester  such  an  opportunity  of  acquiring  know- 
ledge as  they  would  not  be  slow  in  taking  advantage  of. 
When  he  was  a  young  man  there  were  no  such  advan- 
tages as  now  existed  ;  newspapers  were  5d.,  6d.,  and  /d. 
each  ;  now  they  could  have  plenty  of  excellent  yet  cheap 
papers,  plenty  of  literature,  both  light  and  heavy,  which 
required  greater  care  and  study.  He  was  sure  that  the 
advantages  of  the  present  day  had  only  to  be  seized  to 
be  appreciated,  and  if  people  would  only  avail  themselves 
of  that  Free  Library  they  would  be  better  citizens,  and 
many  of  them  would  hold  a  better  place  in  society  than 
they  now  do  ;  for  they  would,  by  their  studies,  be  made 
better  men.  This  was  a  free  and  open  country,  where 
every  man's  talents  and  energies  were  recognised,  but 
many  a  man  was  lost  through  not  cultivating  the  talents 
with  which  God  had  blessed  him. 

The  Earl  of  Shaftesbury  next  addressed  the  meet- 
ing. He  said  that  when  their  secretary  requested  him 
to  come  there  and  move  a  resolution,  he  confessed  he 
was  not  prepared  for  such  a  gathering  as  that  ;  and,  to 
tell  the  truth,  he  felt  a  little  shy.  But  still  he  must  take 
courage,  for  that  was  the  third  public  meeting  he  had 
attended  that  day.  The  meeting  he  now  addressed  he 
must  consider  as  the  cream  of  the  men  of  Manchester ;  one 
of  those  he  attended  that  day — a  grand  gathering  of  the 
ragged  class — he  might  probably  consider  the  skimmed 
milk.  He  went  down  to  one  of  the  worst  parts  of 
Manchester  for  the  purpose  of  laying  the  foundation- 
stone  of  a  ragged  school,  and  he  trusted  that  they,  who 
had  raised  themselves  to  the  benefits  and  blessings  they 
now  enjoyed,  would  do  all  that  lay  in  their  power  to 
raise  those  lower  parts  of  this  great  city  to  the  level  of 
their  own  enjoyment.  Whether  it  was  in  the  cream  or 
in  the  skimmed  milk  he  saw  the  same  characteristics 
of  Lancashire  men  ;  the  same  earnestness  of  purpose ; 
the  same  warmth  of  heart ;  the  same  determination, 
and  all  those  noble  characteristics  that  had  been 
long    peculiar   to   the   northern  parts  of  this  country, 


THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDVVICK  BRANCH.  8i 

but  especially  to  the  people  of  Lancashire.  When 
he  saw  those  men  and  women,  dirty  as  they  were, 
and  the  children  dirtier  and  more  ragged,  he  saw 
it  in  the  expression  of  their  eyes,  in  the  earnest 
attention  they  gave  to  the  words  he  spoke  to  them,  in 
the  uncommon  zeal  with  which  they  pursued  him  after- 
wards to  shake  hands  with  him.  He  saw  seeds  of 
nobleness  in  them,  and  felt  that,  if  by  God's  grace  they 
could  but  lift  those  people  out  of  the  mire,  they  would 
be  fitted  to  rank  with  the  princes  of  the  earth.  It  was 
his  good  fortune  to  be  present  at  the  foundation  of  the 
Free  Libraries,  a  great  many  years  ago,  and  to  attend 
the  original  opening  meeting.  He  then  saw  that  great 
benefits  would  result  from  the  institution,  but  he  was  not 
prepared  for  such  large  results  in  so  short  a  space  of 
time.  He  now  came  there,  and  found  that  which  was  a 
child  had  grown  up  to  be  a  married  person,  with  four 
big,  stout  children.  He  hoped  these  big,  stout  children 
would  soon  have  equally  big,  stout  grandchildren.  And 
he  hoped  the  whole  race  would  imitate  the  virtues  and 
the  efficiencies  of  the  parent  stock.  He  had  been  very 
much  struck  with  the  details  given  by  their  worthy 
Chairman,  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  various  books 
had  been  used.  No  doubt  there  was  a  great  prevalence 
of  taste  for  works  of  fiction,  and  he  was  not  going  to 
blame  them  for  it.  People  engaged  in  the  tedium  of 
life,  in  the  details  of  daily  work,  required  to  have  their 
minds  refreshed  by  going  out  of  the  spheres  in  which 
their  business  threw  them  ;  still,  it  would  be  better  if 
they  would  mix  with  the  light  a  little  of  the  graver 
kind  of  literature — a  little  wine  with  the  water.  When 
the  Chairman  stated  that  one  book  had  been  so  frequently 
used  that  it  had  been  four  times  bound,  it  reminded 
him  of  a  story  once  told  by  a  friend  of  his  who,  whilst 
reading  a  book,  was  addressed  by  a  person  as  follows: 
'  I  say,  friend,  you  have  got  a  very  learned  book  there ; 
there  is  a  great  deal  in  it  about  the  urim  and  thummim. 
Do  you  understand  all  that  ? '  '  Well,'  replied  his  friend, 
'  I  don't  understand  anything  about  urim  and  thummim, 
but  I  knows  how  to  use  him  and  thumb  him.'  Their 
Lending  Library  was  an  admirable  institution,  because 
it  admitted  the  women  into  the  participation  of  the 
husband's  privileges,  by  enabling  the  men  to  take  books 
home,  and  thus  combine  domestic  happiness  and  duty 

F 


82  THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

with  literary  acquisition.  This  he  considered  a  great 
blessing,  because,  where  husbands  attended  clubs  for 
social  intercourse  the  women  did  not  participate  in  the 
benefits  ;  but  here,  a  man  might  take  out  a  book,  carry 
it  home,  and  read  it  to  his  wife  and  children.  He 
contended,  therefore,  that  they  had  founded  an  institution 
upon  the  very  best  principle,  and  one  which  could  not 
fail  to  produce  great  good  amongst  them.  He  hoped, 
then,  that  they  would  recollect  what  great  blessings  they 
now  enjoyed,  what  benefits  were  now  put  within  their 
reach,  and  what  opportunities  were  now  offered  for 
their  mental,moral,and  spiritual  culture, which  constituted 
the  real  life  of  man.  Let  them  recollect  that  when  they 
had  raised  themselves  above  the  condition  of  mere  toil 
they  had  advanced  themselves  in  the  dignity  of  thinking 
beings,  and  that  toil  and  intellectual  and  moral  dignity, 
were  compatible  in  the  highest  degree.  Why,  who  did 
they  call  a  gentleman  ?  A  gentleman  was  not  essentially 
connected  with  high  birth,  nor  the  gifts  of  fortune  ;  they 
called  a  man  a  gentleman  by  ordinary  courtesy  because 
he  happened  to  be  in  an  important  position  in  life,  but 
the  real  essence  of  a  gentleman  lay  in  the  heart,  it  lay 
in  the  character,  it  lay  in  the  whole  demeanour  ;  and  he 
would  almost  undertake  to  say  that  all  those  ragged 
fellows  he  saw  that  afternoon  might  in  a  short  time  be 
converted  into  real  gentlemen.  Who  was  the  finest 
specimen  of  a  gentleman,  he  would  ask  ?  Was  there 
ever  presented  in  the  whole  page  of  history  a  finer 
specimen  of  a  gentleman  than  the  apostle  Paul?  Let 
any  one  read  his  speech  before  Agrippa,  or  his  epistle  to 
Philemon,  and  then  say  whether  it  was  possible  to  find 
more  noble  or  gentlemanlike  sentiments  than  those 
which  fell  from  St.  Paul.  And  why  could  not  the  artisan, 
the  mechanic,  or  the  cotton  operative  imitate  that  noble 
example,  when  he  recollected  that  he  himself  occupied, 
in  a  worldly  sense,  as  high  a  position  as  Paul  the  tent 
maker?  Therefore,  he  maintained  that  the  dignity  of 
character,  a  high  moral  bearing,  and  everything  that 
elevated  man,  were  not  incompatible  with  toil,  and  that 
in  many  instances  toil  facilitated  intellectual  advance- 
ment.   The  resolution  or  sentiment  he  had  to  move  was, — 

The  Chorlton  and  Ardwick  Branch  Free  Library, 
and  may  the  inhabitants  appreciate  the  advantages 
it  offered. 


THE   CHORLTON  AND   ARDWICK  BRANCH.  83 

He  proposed  that  sincerely  and  with  all  his  heart,  for 
he  trusted  they  would  appreciate  these  advantages  in  all 
their  bearings.  Well  did  their  worthy  Mayor  say  that 
these  institutions  were  antagonistic  to  the  vilest 
institutions  that  ever  crept  into  a  city— the  beerhouses 
and  gin  palaces.  He  trusted  that  every  man  who 
became  a  borrower,  every  man  who  availed  himself  of 
the  blessings  that  Library  offered,  every  man  who  took 
from  it  a  book  to  read  for  his  wife  and  children,  every 
man  who  felt  that  by  so  doing  he  was  advancing  in  the 
scale  of  social  life,  would  heartily  and  openly  protest 
against  the  establishment  and  extension  of  those  great 
abominations  that  were  the  degradation  of  any  nation, 
but  which,  he  was  afraid,  were  to  a  great  extent  the 
peculiar  degradation  of  our  own. 

Mr.  Edward  James,  O.C.,  M.P.,  said  he  joined  with 
them  most  heartily  in  the  expression  of  thanks  which  had 
emanated  from  that  large  assembly  and  the  noble  lord 
who  had  just  addressed  them,  to  those  who  had  provided 
the  noble  Institution  which  they  were  that  night  inaug- 
urating for  the  benefit  of  the  poorer  classes  especially. 
Now,  could  anybody  in  that  large  assembly  doubt  that 
there  were  great  advantages  provided  for  them  by  the 
establishment  of  this  Branch  Library.  Why  establish 
institutions  like  this  which  they  were  then  inaugurating  ? 
The  necessities  of  life  would  some  day  compel  those  who 
were  brought  up  in  ragged  schools  to  resort  to  work  for 
an  honest  living,  and  then  it  was  that  such  institutions 
as  free  libraries  would  be  of  use  to  them  ;  for  there,  in 
the  evenings,  they  could  resort,  free  of  all  cost,  and 
cultivate  that  intellect  and  those  faculties  with  which 
God  had  endowed  them.  But  for  such  institutions  as 
free  libraries,  where  would  be  the  means  of  enabling  such 
people  as  he  had  that  afternoon  seen  in  Charter  Street 
to  cultivate  their  minds?  Once  taught  to  read,  they 
would  read,  and  if  they  had  no  free  libraries  to  resort  to, 
they  would  be  driven  to  read  the  cheap  and  degrading 
literature  with  which  their  land  and  age  overflowed. 
They  could  not  afford  to  buy  valuable  books,  and  hence 
if  they  could  not  do  that,  and  could  not  resort  to  such 
places  as  these,  there  was  no  chance  of  their  fostering 
and  nurturing,  and  increasing  those  seeds  of  intelligence 
which  the  ragged  schools  had  planted  within  them.     All 


4  THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

such,  that  noble  Free  Library  invited  to  partake  of  that 
which  it  had  provided.  There,  in  a  well-warmed,  well- 
ventilated,  well-lighted  room,  they  could  come  and  read 
the  newspapers  and  periodicals,  or  borrow  books  to  take 
home  with  them  to  read  by  their  own  firesides.  Their 
opportunities  were  thus  great,  and  he  hoped  they 
would  duly  appreciate  them.  There  were  others  in  the 
community,  however,  who  were  worthy  of  consideration. 
The  noble  Free  Libraries,  happily,  were  not  destined  for 
the  use  of  any  one  particular  class,  but  they  were  for  the 
use  of  all  classes  of  the  community.  As  he  had  gone 
through  the  various  Branch  Libraries  in  Manchester,  he 
had  found,  on  inquiry,  that  of  those  who  used  them  not 
a  few  were  boys  from  school.  He  saw  before  him  a 
goodly  number  of  youths  who  no  doubt  attended  school, 
and  they  would  understand  him  when  he  said  that  he 
was  much  amused  to  find  that  even  those  youths  who 
went  to  superior  schools,  and  learnt  Latin  and  Greek, 
came  to  these  Free  Libraries  for  the  purpose  of  what 
the  schoolmasters  call  'cribbing,'  that  was,  to  get 
translations  of  their  tasks.  Well,  he  did  not  find  fault, 
for  even  that  was  good.  Some,  perhaps,  would  say  it 
was  not  just,  but  he  held  that  in  its  use  it  was  good.  It 
was  only  in  the  abuse  of  the  thing  that  it  was  evil.  There 
was  no  harm  in  schoolboys  coming  to  the  Free  Libraries  to 
consult  translations  with  the  view  of  assisting  them.  That 
was  another  way  in  which  these  Libraries  might  be  made 
useful ;  but  they  were  not  established  for  schoolboys  only, 
any  more  than  for  those  who  had  been  educated  at  the 
ragged  schools.  Lord  Shaftesbury  had  called  the  attention 
of  the  meeting  to  one  thing  which  was  worthy  of  their  con- 
sideration for  a  moment,  inasmuch  as  he  looked  upon 
it  as  one  of  the  greatest  of  evils.  He  should  like  to 
calculate  the  number  of  beer-shops,  of  taverns,  and  of 
spirit-vaults  which  where  open  in  every  street  of  this 
great  city.  Why  were  there,  he  wanted  to  know,  so 
many  of  them  }  Why,  he  supposed  it  was  on  the 
ordinary  principles  of  supply  and  demand.  That  it  was 
so  they  might  rest  assured.  No  man  would  set  up  a 
tavern,  vault,  or  beer-shop,  unless  it  would  pay  him — 
and  it  would  not  pay  him  unless  the  people  resorted 
there  for  the  purpose  of  drinking.  The  more  they 
could  divert  the  attention  of  the  people  of  this  countr}- 
from  the  public-house,  gin-shops,  beer-shops,  and  places 


THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDIVICK  BRANCH.  85 

of  that  description,  by  opening  such  institutions  as  free 
libraries,  and  enable  them  to  cultivate  their  minds,  the 
more  effectually  would  they  diminish  and  put  an  end  to 
the  degrading  vice  of  drunkenness,  which  now  brought 
about  so  much  misery,  wretchedness,  and  crime.  Hence, 
one  of  the  advantages  of  that  grand  institution  (the 
free  libraries)  was,  that  they  might  cultivate,  not  only 
the  intellect,  but  the  moral  faculties  of  the  people,  and 
thus  diminish  crime  and  its  evils  throughout  the  land. 
But  that  was  not  all  ;  they  had  the  advantage 
in  that  establishment  of  comfort,  which  he  was 
sorry  to  say  many  in  this  great  city  did  not 
enjoy  at'  their  own  homes,  by  their  own  firesides. 
The  advantages  of  comfort,  of  heat,  and  of  light, 
such  as  they  found  in  that  excellent  Institution, 
were  of  no  small  consequence  to  those  who  came  there 
to  read  ;  and  those  who  had  not  such  advantages  at 
home,  to  read  their  papers  and  books,  would  find  them 
here  in  profusion.  But  there  were  times  when  the  people 
who  would  fain  go,  could  not — times  of  sickness,  distress, 
old  age — the  times  when  it  was  of  the  greatest  import- 
ance to  the  comforts  of  home,  that  they  should  have  the 
opportunity  there  of  reading  and  cultivating  those 
faculties  with  which  God  had  blessed  them.  With  that 
view,  the  Free  Libraries  Committee  had  established 
these  Branch  Lending  Libraries,  and  at  such  times  as  he 
had  named,  it  was  that  they  came  into  full  force.  But 
whether  the  books  were  borrowed  and  taken  home  from 
this  Library,  were  read  by  the  bed  of  sickness,  or  read  in 
the  Institution  itself,  by  husband,  wife,  or  child,  the 
advantages  derivable  from  the  free  lending  libraries  were 
incalculable  ;  and  were  it  not  for  such  libraries  as  they 
were  opening,  how  could  the  poor,  whether  in 
sickness  or  in  health,  ever  be  able  to  secure  the  valuable 
books  that  they  could  borrow  here,  free  from  all  cost  ? 
They  could  never  have  the  chance  of  reading  them,  for 
the  expense  would  be  too  great.  These,  then,  were  some 
of  the  advantages  produced  by  establishments  like  this  ; 
and  he  earnestly  besought  them — the  men,  women,  and 
children  of  Manchester — to  seize  those  advantages,  and 
appreciate  them. 

Mr.    Dudley    Field,    of    New    York,    supported    the 
resolution.      He  said  he  was  sorry  that  his  own  city  of 


86  THE    CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

New  York  had  no  library  like  that  which  they  were  now 
inaugurating.  They  had  plenty  of  libraries,  but  they 
had  there  no  free  library  like  those  in  Manchester.  The 
other  day,  when  he  was  in  Liverpool,  he  entered  that 
noble  free  library  there  given  by  Sir  William  Brown,  and 
was  much  struck  by  the  fact  that  those  who  came  there 
for  books  did  not  receive  them  as  a  favour,  but  as  a  right. 
Well,  all  he  could  say  was,  that  here,  too,  in  Manchester, 
they  had  in  their  free  libraries  one  of  the  noblest 
institutions  that  man  could  court — an  institution  equal 
to  all  their  wants — and,  as  far  as  he  could  judge,  enough 
for  all  the  population  they  were  intended  to  serve.  Now, 
with  regard  to  the  subject  of  education,  he  held  that  it 
was  the  duty  of  society  to  provide  free  education  for 
all — rich  and  poor.  In  America,  they  made  that  a 
fundamental  principle,  believing,  as  they  did,  that  it  was 
far  better  to  impart  knowledge  than  to  let  people  live  in 
ignorance.  Every  person,  man,  woman,  or  child,  girl  or 
boy  should  be  provided,  at  the  cost  of  the  State,  with 
the  means  of  free  education  ;  and  it  was  so  in  the  State 
of  New  York.  There  they  had  large  schools,  with  the 
best  instructors,  and  every  autumn  there  might  be  seen 
notifications  posted  in  all  the  streets  to  the  effect  that 
those  schools  were  then  open  to  all  children  free — to  rich 
and  poor  alike.  No  one  entered  there  who  was  not 
welcome,  and  who  was  not  taught  as  well  as  any  other 
person — the  rich  and  lowly  side  by  side.  He  did  not 
mean  to  say  that  there  were  no  voluntary  schools,  but 
some  of  the  richest  persons  in  the  state,  as  a  matter  of 
choice,  sent  their  children  to  the  public  free  schools  rather 
than  to  the  voluntary  schools. 

The  Rev.  Alexander  Thomson,  M.A.,  minister  of 
Rusholme  Road  Chapel,  said  that  there  was  something, 
no  doubt,  appropriate  and  becoming  in  his  addressing 
to  the  meeting  a  few  observations,  because  of  the  position 
he  held  in  relation  to  the  schools  in  which  they  were 
assembled,  if  it  were  only  to  bid  them  welcome  and  to 
congratulate  them  on  the  work  which  had  that  night 
brought  them  there.  But  he  came  there  not  to  speak, 
but  to  see  and  to  hear  ;  and  he  must  say  that  he  had 
seen  what  had  delighted  him,  and  had  heard  what  had 
both  instructed  and  stimulated  him,  as  he  hoped  they 
all  had   done.     The   object   they  had   met   to   promote 


THE    CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH.  87 

was  one  which  ought  to  be  highly  prized  by  every  true 
patriot ;  for  what  must  be  the  desire  of  every  one  who 
loved  his  country  but  this, — that  all  the  advantages 
which  had  been  acquired  by  that  country,  in  the  course 
of  its  progress,  should  be  made  accessible  to  every  class 
of  the  community.  Here  we  were  in  this  noble  England 
of  ours,  which  was  distinguished  by  the  enjoyment  of 
much  wealth  and  prosperity,  and  by  the  possession  of  a 
free  constitution  handed  down  to  us  by  our  fathers  ;  and 
it  seemed  to  him  that  it  should  be  the  desire  of  every 
man,  that  the  advantages  of  that  prosperity,  and  of  that 
free  constitution  should  be  extended  as  far  as  possible 
to  every  class  amongst  us.  But  we  had  also  the 
heritage  of  a  literature  such  as  no  nation  in  the  world 
had  ever  possessed  before.  We  are  in  the  habit  of 
speaking  of  the  Greek  and  Roman  writers  with 
admiration,  and  deservedly  so,  for  they  led  the  way  as 
the  original  instructors  of  their  own  and  of  subsequent 
ages,  but  he  thought  that  even  the  literature  of  Greece 
and  Rome,  and  of  other  European  nations,  must  rank 
far  below  the  literature  of  our  native  land  in  depth, 
variety,  and  comprehensiveness  of  culture.  To  the 
enjoyment  of  these  literary  treasures  they  should  seek 
to  welcome  all  ranks  of  their  countrymen,  by  placing 
them  easily  within  their  reach.  He  agreed  that  there 
was  some  use  even  in  works  of  fiction  ;  but  he  hoped 
working  men  would  ascend  above  these,  and  remember 
that  our  literature  could  boast  such  authors  as  Spenser, 
Shakspere,  Pope,  Wordsworth,  Tennyson,  and  others 
among  poets  ;  charming  historians,  also,  like  Hallam, 
Macaulay,  and  Froude  ;  and  then  there  were  books  of 
travel  that  had  recently  appeared,  full  of  the  most 
delightful  and  instructive  information,  as  well  as  being 
excellent  reading  for  entertainment,  by  such  men  as 
Speke,  Baker,  Palgrave,  Livingstone,  and  others.  Such 
books  as  these  he  hoped  would  be  sought  out  and  read 
by  many  of  the  working  men.  These  free  libraries  were 
admirable  and  useful  institutions,  but  still  they  must  not 
over-estimate  their  influence  on  society  in  the  diffusion 
of  knowledge.  Knowledge  did  not  necessarily  imply 
either  wisdom  or  goodness.  A  man  might  be  a  great 
reader  and  still  be  debased  and  immoral  in  character 
and  conduct.  Indeed  there  had  lived  many  such 
men  ;    but  after  all  they  must  look  to  the  good  which 


88  THE    CHORLTON  AND  ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

mental  culture  was  fitted  to  promote,  and  not  to  the  evil 
which  sprung  up  in  spite  of  its  influence.  They  must 
look  on  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  as  subsidiary  to  the 
advancement  of  religion  and  morals,  as  co-operating  with 
higher  influences, — as  giving  you  a  better  hold  of  the 
minds  of  men,  when  you  sought  to  lift  them  up  to  nobler 
heights,  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  beauty  and  grandeur 
of  divine  truths.  These  free  libraries  would  contribute 
to  this  by  spreading  the  streams  of  literature  over  the 
face  of  society,  among  the  industrial  classes  of  this 
great  city,  just  as  the  Nile  in  its  inundation  diffuses  its 
fertilizing  waters  over  the  fields,  covering  them  with  a  rich 
soil  for  future  harvests.  This  done,  it  rested  with  our 
ministers  and  Sunday  school  teachers  to  sow  the  seed  of 
heavenly  truth  on  the  soil  which  these  Institutions  had 
thus  prepared.  In  that  view,  the  Chorlton  and  Ardwick 
Branch  Library,  now  opened,  had  the  best  wishes  of 
himself  and  his  fellow  workers  there,  that  it  might 
accomplish  all  the  good  which  its  benevolent  promoters 
designed. 

Mr.  Wm.  Fairbairn,  F.R.S.,  LL.D.,  said  that,  if  he 
had  consulted  his  own  inclination,  he  should  have 
deputed  some  of  his  friends  to  address  them,  as  he  was 
more  in  the  constructive  line  than  the  speaking  art.  He 
could  assure  them  that  he  should  have  been  very  glad 
to  have  avoided  making  a  speech  to  that  assembly. 
However,  he  would  just  say  that  he  fully  appreciated  the 
great  boon  now  conferred  upon  that  district  by  the 
establishment  of  a  Branch  Free  Library.  He  felt  quite 
satisfied  that  no  establishment,  no  institution  could  be  of 
greater  benefit  or  service  to  the  community,  especially  to 
the  working  classes,  than  a  Free  Library.  l"heir  worthy 
Chairman  had  spoken  of  the  great  wear  and  tear  of 
books.  He  hoped  the  wear  and  tear  would  be  much 
greater  still.  He  did  not  know  of  anything  so  calculated 
to  improve  men's  minds  as  reading,  and  he  considered 
that  a  taste  for  reading  was  a  sure  criterion  of  future 
distinction.  If  these  Free  Libraries  could  be  extended 
.to  the  surrounding  towns,  they  would  prove  of  the 
greatest  advantage  to  the  public  at  large,  for  he  felt  sure 
that  the  intellectual  and  moral  standard  of  the  people 
would  be  raised  by  such  privileges.  He  should  be  glad 
to  see  that  noble  and  excellent  institution  prosper,  and 
be  a  benefit  to  the  public. 


THE   CHORLTON  AND  ARDIVICK  BRANCH.  89 

The  Right  Hon.  H.  Austin  Bruce,  M.P.,  said  that, 
among  the  many  pleasant  and  instructive  sights  he 
had  seen  during  his  brief  stay  in  Manchester,  none 
had  given  him  greater  pleasure,  none  had  afforded 
him  more  useful  instruction  than  the  visit  he  had 
paid  to  the  Central  Institution  of  these  Free  Libraries 
and  its  Branches.  He  understood  the  commence- 
ment of  this  Free  Library  was  due  to  a  citizen  of 
Manchester,  and  he  was  sure  the  citizens  of  Man- 
chester felt  proud  of  the  liberality  and  wisdom  of 
that  gentleman  ;  but,  after  all,  it  was  better  that  great 
institutions  like  these  should  be  carried  on  by  the  local 
authorities  ;  they  then  felt  that  they  were  only  getting 
what  belonged  to  them — -what  was  their  own.  He 
heartily  concurred  with  Mr.  Field  that  it  was  the  duty  of 
the  country — he  did  not  say  of  the  State — but  it  was  the 
duty  of  the  country,  represented  by  its  local  authorities, 
to  provide  education  for  those  that  required  it,  at  the 
public  expense.  He  hoped  that,  when  he  next  came  to 
Manchester,  this  movement  would  have  so  far  progressed 
that  they  would  not  be  content  with  a  rate  of  ^4,000  for 
its  support,  but  that  the  sum  would  be  five  if  not  ten 
times  that  amount.  Looking  at  the  demand  for  amuse- 
ment and  recreation,  he  could  not  conceive  a  greater  boon 
than  that  supplied  by  free  libraries.  He,  like  others,  had 
been  a  hard  working  man,  but  when  he  was  young  there 
was  no  such  thing  for  him.  When  he  could  escape  out  of 
the  dreary,  dismal  toil  of  his  day  labour  to  the  delightful 
paths  of  literature  that  were  open  to  him  in  this  Library, 
it  was  like  passing  out  of  the  dark  and  dirty  streets  into 
the  fresh  air.     The  sentiment  he  had  to  propose  was — 

May  the  Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries  be  the 
means  of  advancing  the  knowledge  of  economical 
and  sanitary  laws  which  govern  society. 

In  the  discussion  that  day,  his  thoughts  had  been 
directed  to  the  motion  he  had  to  make  ;  and  when  he 
went  to  the  Library  he  had  asked  to  be  shown  the  corner 
in  which  the  works  on  political  economy  were  collected, 
and  he  saw  they  had  been  well  used.  He  could  not 
conceive  at  this  present  time  a  more  important  thing 
than  that  all  classes  of  society  should  be  thoroughly 
instructed  in  the  sound  principles  of  political  economy. 
They  might  take  his  word  for  it,  that  we  were  entering 


o  THE   CHORLTON  AND   ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

on  a  time  of  very  great  trial,  unexampled  in  history  ; 
besides  the  enormous  expansion  of  our  trade  and  the 
question  of  emigration,  they  all  knew  that  in  every  town 
in  England  there  were  difficult  questions  to  be  settled 
between  employer  and  employed,  which  required  for- 
bearance, discretion,  and  a  sound  knowledge  of  political 
economy.  He  had  himself,  on  several  occasions,  acted  as 
the  mediator  between  masters  and  men  during  the  pre- 
valence of  strikes,  which  inflicted  incalculable  misery 
upon  the  population.  In  one  case  the  strike  lasted 
twenty-one  weeks,  and  in  the  other  seven  weeks,  and 
many  of  the  people  had  not  yet  recovered  from  the 
effects  thereof  He  need  not  tell  them  the  vast  amount 
of  suffering  which  these  strikes  entailed  upon  the  women 
and  children  ;  nor  did  he  propose  to  enter  into  the 
justice  or  injustice  of  those  strikes  ;  but  he  found 
prevailing  amongst  those  people  a  great  amount  of 
ignorance  as  to  the  true  laws  of  political  economy. 
He  believed,  however,  that  such  ignorance  was  fast 
dispersing.  Fifty  or  sixty  years  ago,  there  were  few 
writers  on  political  economy,  and  the  greatest  errors 
were  committed,  otherwise  they  would  not  have  had 
such  restrictive  imposts  as  the  corn  laws,  the  timber 
duties,  and  the  navigation  laws.  All  these  things  until 
within  a  very  recent  period  were  believed  in  as  necessary 
to  our  national  existence — believed  in,  too,  by  the  better- 
educated  and  higher  classes.  Well,  if  there  was  so  much 
ignorance  of  the  true  principles  of  political  economy 
among  the  educated  and  higher  classes,  it  was  not  to  be 
wondered  at  if  such  ignorance  even  still  prevailed  among 
the  uneducated  and  working  classes.  Now,  however, 
even  the  working  classes  need  not  be  ignorant  of  the 
great  and  true  principles  of  political  economy,  since 
there  were  brought  within  their  reach  by  such  institu- 
tions as  free  libraries  the  works — the  admirable  works  of 
John  Stuart  Mill  and  other  eminent  political  economists, 
in  which  they  would— and  he  earnestly  advised  working 
men  to  read  them — find  the  soundest  knowledge  of  all 
the  great  principles  which  governed  their  labour.  Then 
there  were  similar  works  by  Professor  Fawcett,  which 
were  also  excellent  and  worthy  their  most  attentive 
study.  He  now  came  to  another  subject  on  which  he 
wished  to  say  a  word  or  two,  namely,  the  district  named 
Ancoats,   where   there   was    a    large  proportion   of  the 


TFIE   CHORLTON  AND   ARDIVICK  BRANCH.  91 

population    of  Manchester    living   in    a   state   of   filth, 
misery,    and    degradation.       There  were,  he  found,  as 
naany  as  five,  six,  and  seven  persons  in  a  small  house  or 
room— -and  sometimes  more  than  one  family — not  living, 
but  "  pigging  "  together  ;  and  the  stench  arising  from  this 
over-crowding  was  so  great  that  a  person  going  into  those 
houses  could  scarcely  stay  in  them  a  minute  to  speak  to 
the  inmates.     How  was  it  ?     He  could  not  believe  that 
the  local  government  of  Manchester  did  not  do  its  duty, 
but  he  rather  believed  that  to  a  great  extent  this  over- 
crowding in  large  towns  and  cities   was   attributable  to 
the  ignorance  of  those  who  were  so  situated.     In  many 
cases  where  this  dreadful  state  of  things  existed,  it  was 
shown  that  the  earnings  of  a  family  were  not  less  than 
thirty-five  shillings   a  week.     The  rich  did  a  great  deal, 
it  was  true,  for  the  working  classes   of  cities   like  Man- 
chester, but  those  classes  ought  to  know  that  everything 
could  not  be  done  for  them  :  they  must   do  something 
for    themselves.       The    working    men    and    their    wives 
should  be  ashamed  to  have  such  dirty  wretched  houses  ; 
and  he   called   upon  them  to  reflect   seriously  on  their 
present    condition.      The    laws    that    had    been    passed 
enabled  the  City  of  Manchester  to  provide  for  the  working 
population  these  magnificent  Free  Libraries,  but  it  often 
occurred  to  him  that   those   classes   did  not  sufficiently 
prize  those  institutions  and   those  laws,   or  they  would 
learn    to    better    attend    to    their  own  domestic  duties. 
They — the  working  men — should  themselves  exercise  a 
little  public  spirit  in  matters  which  concerned  themselves 
and  their  families.     Only  on  a  recent  occasion,  when  he 
was  on  a  Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons,  many 
intelligent  working  men  were  examined  by  that  Com- 
mittee,   and    they    were    anxious,    they  said,  that  their 
children  should  not   be  taken   to   work  in  collieries  so 
early,  and  that  they  should  have  an  education  provided 
for    them.     That    was    reasonable.     He    asked    them  if 
they  did  not  know  that  already  there  was  a  law  which 
said  that  no  child  who  was  not  between  ten  and  twelve 
years  of  age,  and  who  could  read  and  write,  should  be 
taken  on  the  ground  ?     They  replied  yes,  but  that  in  a 
many  cases  the  law  was  not  observed  at  all.     Well,  now 
they  should,  he  told  them,  inform  against  those  who  so 
broke    the    law,    for  it  was   utterly    impossible   for   the 
government  to  have  an  inspector  in  every  colliery  in  the 


92  THE    C HO  ELTON  AND   ARDWICK  BRANCH. 

district  or  kingdom,  as  it  was  for  the  local  authorities  to 
have  a  sanitary  inspector  in  every  street  of  a  city  or 
town.  He  also  told  them  that  they  should  be  the 
guardians  of  their  own  good  ;  and,  if  the  working  classes 
of  Manchester  would  only  make  proper  use  of  their  Free 
Libraries,  and  study  the  political  and  sanitary  laws,  they 
would  see  that  such  was  the  fact, — would  see  that  it  was 
a  thing  necessary  and  a  duty  incumbent  on  them,  both 
to  themselves  and  their  families. 

The  Rev  W.  C.  Van  Meter  said — when  he  was  asked 
by  the  Chairman  if  he  would  say  a  word  or  two  to  the 
meeting,  his  first  thought  was  '  What  shall  I  say  that 
will  be  appreciated  } '  Well,  he  had  no  difficulty  in 
coming  to  a  conclusion  on  that  point,  for  he  had  been 
kindly  conducted  that  evening,  by  the  Chairman,  in 
company  with  some  others,  over  the  Free  Libraries,  and 
they  furnished  him  with  a  text  amply  sufficient.  In 
looking  over  the  record  he  found  that  10,626  tickets  had 
been  issued  to  readers  or  borrowers  of  books,  a  fact 
which  caused  him  to  ponder  deeply.  He  thought  of  the 
dark  surroundings,  or  dark  habitations,  in  various  parts 
of  Manchester,  and  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  the  Centre 
Free  Library  stood,  shooting  out  its  rays  of  light,  like  a 
brilliant  in  a  sombre  setting.  That  Free  Library  which 
they  were  opening  that  night  was  another  brilliant  light, 
which  in  its  district  would  eventually  shine  away  the 
darkness  which  now  enshrouded  it.  He  had  thought  of 
how  many  homes  there  are  that  could  be  made  glad  by 
the  establishment  of  this  Library  in  Rusholme  Road, 
and  he  felt  sure  there  were  many.  It  must  be  so.  In 
one  of  the  libraries  in  which  he  had  been  that  day,  he, 
on  looking  round,  saw  a  little  boy  about  thirteen  years 
of  age,  reading  ;  his  head  was  resting  on  his  hand  ;  his 
eyes  were  fixed  on  his  book  most  earnestly,  and  he  was 
drinking  deep  of  the  pure  refreshing  fountain  of  litera- 
ture. He  looked  at  the  little  fellow  with  intense  interest, 
and  he  noted  that  his  elbows  were  out,  that  his 
pantaloons  were  patch  upon  patch,  and  that  his  shoe 
soles  were  worn  literally  to  the  foot.  But  that  made 
no  matter — made  no  difference  to  him  and  his  book, 
for  he  sat  wholly  absorbed  in  the  volume  he  was 
reading,  as  though  there  was  nobody  besides  himself  in 
the  room.      Another  boy  he  saw  hurrying  as  fast  as  he 


THE    CHORLTON  AND  ARDIVICK  BRANCH.  93 

could  to  the  Library — as  fast  as  even  any  man  hurried 
from  his  shop  to  the  '  rum  hole.'  This  boy  was  in  his 
shirt  sleeves,  evidently  intent  on  procuring  some  volume 
in  which  he  expected  to  find  a  grand  banquet  for  the 
mind.  He  also  observed  two  little  girls  with  their 
tickets,  each  anxious  to  get  a  book  to  take  home  to  read. 
Near  to  them  stood  a  third  little  boy  with  his  ticket 
awaiting  his  turn  for  a  book.  Mr.  Bruce  spoke  to  him 
and  asked  him  whether  he  wanted  a  story?  'No,' 
replied  the  boy,  *  I  don't  want  a  story,  I  want  a  history  ! ' 
and  he  had  no  doubt  that  that  very  night  Sir  Walter 
Scott  was  talking  to  that  little  boy,  and  entertaining 
and  instructing  him  to  his  heart's  content.  Now  he  had 
no  doubt  that  if  the  Queen,  or  some  great  noble  of  the 
land  had  come  to  reside  in  Rusholme  Road,  the  people 
of  that  district  would  feel  not  only  highly  honoured,  but 
very  proud  of  the  preference  given  to  their  locality  by 
such  a  great  personage.  Well  that  great  personage, — 
that  great  noble  was  there  already,  and  had  taken  up 
his  dwelling  in  the  Chorlton  and  Ardwick  Branch  Free 
Library.  The  people  of  these  townships  ought  to  be 
proud  of  their  new  resident,  who,  not  only  was  capable, 
but  who  would  do  much  good  among  them,  if  they  would 
only  let  him.  Let  them  frequent  the  Library,  and 
borrow  books  from  it,  and  the  home  would  be  cheered  in 
the  winter  evenings,  when  all  was  drear,  dark,  and  cold 
without  and  beyond. 

The    meeting    concluded    with    the    usual    votes    of 
thanks. 

The  interior  of  the  building  of  the  Chorlton  and  ' 
Ardwick  Branch  is  separated  by  a  glass  partition  into  a 
library  and  newsroom.  It  differs,  however,  from  the 
reading-rooms  of  the  other  branch  libraries  in  being 
provided  with  alcoves  for  the  reading  stands.  This  was 
necessitated  by  the  shape  of  the  land  at  the  disposal 
of  the  architect,  and  though  picturesque  in  appearance,  its 
adoption  generally  cannot  be  recommended,  as  the  readers 
in  the  alcoves  are  not  within  the  supervision  of  the 
librarian.  This  library  can  shelve  about  20,000  volumes. 
A  large  room  above  the  library,  originally  intended  for  a 


94  THE  ANCOATS  BRANCH. 

lecture  hall  was  converted  into  a  boys'  reading-room,  and 
opened  in  November,  1878. 

In  the  Library's  first  year  of  public  utility  the  borrowers 
numbered  3,850,  the  books  6,331,  and  the  issues  87,043. 

THE   ANCOATS   BRANCH. 

A  new  building,  which  had  been  erected  in  Every 
Street,  Ancoats,  for  the  accommodation  of  that  populous 
district,  was  opened,  but  without  public  ceremony,  in 
September,  1867,  the  library  being  removed  thither  from 
a  shop  numbered  190  in  Great  Ancoats  Street. 

The  building,  erected  from  the  designs  of  Mr.  Alfred 
Waterhouse,  is  of  brick,  with  stone  facings,  is  in  the  Gothic 
style,  and  is  the  prettiest  of  the  smaller  branch  libraries. 
The  newsroom  is  60ft.  long  by  38ft.  6in.  wide,  and  open 
to  the  roof,  which  is  of  timber-work.  A  fine  window 
occupies  almost  the  whole  of  the  end  wall. 

The  library  is  separated  by  a  glass  screen  from  the 
newsroom,  and  has  shelf-room  for  about  17,000  volumes. 
A  room  above  the  library  is  used  as  a  boys'  reading-room, 
and  it  will  seat  about  150  lads.  This  room  was  opened 
in  January,  1878,  and  was  the  first  of  its  kind  in 
Manchester. 

LEGACIES   AND   GIFTS. 

No  year  has  passed  without  being  productive  of  dona- 
tions to  the  Libraries,  though  they  have  but  seldom 
received  a  legacy.  Amongst  the  most  valuable  or  interest- 
ing of  these  may  be  mentioned  a  collection  of  Chinese 
books,  numbering  253  volumes,  bequeathed  by  Thomas 
Bellot,  M.R.C.S.;  the  mill  library  of  Messrs.  Clarke 
Brothers,  of  1,712  volumes  ;  and  that  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Thompson,  of  1,044  volumes  ;  a  copy  of  Lord  Vernon's 
edition  of  Dante's  Inferno,  in  three  folio  volumes ;  220 
volumes  from  the  Trustees  of  the  British  Museum ; 
several  fine  works  embodying  the  results  of  the  expedi- 


THE  BROTHERTOM  MEMORIAL   FUND.  95 

tions  of  the  United  States  Coast  Survey,  and  other 
important  books  from  the  American  Government. 
Mr.  James  Gaskill,  who  died  in  1870,  left  a  legacy 
of  £100  for  the  purchase  of  books,  chiefly  of  a 
scientific  character,  for  the  Hulme  Branch.  With  the  £go, 
to  which  this  legacy,  intended  solely  for  educational  pur- 
poses, was  reduced  after  the  deduction  of  the  duty,  206 
volumes  were  purchased,  and  they  formed  a  useful  and 
much-appreciated  addition  to  the  more  serious  side  of  the 
literature  possessed  by  the  Library. 

THE   BROTHERTON    MEMORIAL   FUND. 

The  Reference  Library  has  also  been  greatly  enriched 
by  the  addition  of  some  important  illustrated  books,  pur- 
chased from  the  money  transferred  to  the  Committee  by 
the  Trustees  of  the  Brotherton  Memorial  Fund. 

The  history  of  this  Fund  may  be  briefly  sketched. 
On  January  19th,  1857,  a  public  meeting  was  held 
in  the  Town  Hall,  Manchester,  presided  over  by  Stephen 
Heelis,  then  Mayor  of  Salford,  at  which  it  was  resolved  : 
"  That  it  is  desirable  that  an  enduring  Memorial  of 
the  late  Joseph  Brotherton,  M.P.,  should  be  erected  in 
grateful  remembrance  of  his  eminent  and  invaluable  public 
services,  and  to  testify  the  respect  universally  felt  for  his 
character."  Two  Committees  were  appointed  ;  one  to 
consider  and  decide  upon  the  nature  of  the  Memorial,  and 
the  other  to  obtain  subscriptions.  Upwards  of  ^2^500 
was  subscribed,  and  it  was  decided  that  a  statue  should  be 
erected  in  Peel  Park,  Salford,  and  a  monument  placed 
over  Mr.  Brotherton's  remains  in  the  Salford  Cemetery. 
When  these  works  were  completed  a  sum  of  money  still 
remained  in  the  hands  of  the  Committee,  and  this  was 
invested  in  the  purchase  of  a  perpetual  annuity  of  ;^i6 
from  the  Manchester  Corporation.  The  annuity  was 
vested  in  trustees,  to  be  by  them  "  invested  in  books,  and 


\/ 


96 


EXPENDITURE,   i8s2-6g. 


presented  annually,  in  rotation,  to  the  Salford  Royal  Free 
Library  in  Peel  Park,  the  Manchester  Free  Library,  the 
Salford  Working  Men's  College,  and  the  Pendleton 
Mechanics'  Institution."  The  two  latter  institutions 
having  become  merged  in  other  educational  bodies,  the 
recipients  of  the  fund  are  now  the  Peel  Park  Library  and 
the  Manchester  Public  Library  in  alternate  years. 


EXPENDITURE   ON    THE   PUBLIC   LIBRARIES. 
The  table  which  follows  conveys  at  a  glance  the  annual 
expenditure  on  the  Free  Libraries  since  their  inception  to 


Date. 


1852-53- 

1853-54 

1854-55 

1855-56 

1856-57 

1857-58- 

1858-59 

1859-60 

1860-61 
1861-62 
1862-63 
1863-64 
1864-65 
1865-66 
1866-67 
1867-68 
1868-69 


-Id.  Rate. 


id.  Rate. 


I 

I  Expendi 
ture. 


Net  amount 
of  Rate. 


£ 
698 

1793 
1935 
2116 

1747 
3566 
3230 
3883 
2446 
3560 
3660 
3270 
3658 
3816 

4897 
4534 
5000 


£ 
1951 
2040 
2097 
2116 
2103 

4257 
4300 

4347 
4417 
4587 
4625 
4682 

4799 
4907 
5082 
5348 
5696 


53809  67354 

Less  £zS°  annual  appropriation  to  Museum, 
commencing  1863    


21. 


~£~ 

1253 

247 

162 


356 
691 

1070 

464 
1971 
1027 

965 
1412, 
1141 
1091 

185 
814 
696 

13545 
2100 


Total  amount  not  levied £\^  ii445 


DEALING    WITH  THE  RATE.  97 

the  year  1869.  For  some  years  the  amount  which  might 
be  expended  by  Library  authorities  was  Hmited  by  law 
to  ^d.  in  the  pound  on  the  rateable  value  of  the  pro- 
perty of  the  community.  Then  the  limit  was,  in  1857, 
extended  to  id.,  at  which  rate  it  still  remains  for  the 
country  in  general.  The  Manchester  libraries  had  been 
worked  so  economically  that  ^11,445  which  might  have 
been  used  in  their  maintenance  had  not  been  asked  for, 
but  as  they  had  largely  increased  in  number  of  late  years, 
and  the  cost  of  management  had  necessarily  risen,  the 
Committee  began  to  feel  strongly  the  pinch  of  poverty. 
In  their  report  presented  to  the  Council  in  1870,  they 
therefore  say : — 

One  of  the  most  important  subjects  which  engaged 
the  attention  of  the  Committee  during  the  past  year, 
1869-70,   was    the    inadequacy    of    the    yearly  amount 
allotted    by   the   Council    for   the    maintenance   of  the 
Libraries,     and     they    instituted    an    inquiry    into    the 
principle  upon  which  that  amount  was  calculated.     An 
examination   by  the  Chairman  [Mr.  Thomas  Baker]  of 
the    successive    Acts    of    Parliament    passed    for    the 
management  of  Public  Free  Libraries   convinced    him 
that,  by  the  'Public   Libraries  Amendment  Act,  1866,' 
one  penny  in  the  pound  upon   the  gross  value  of  the 
property    in    the    city   was    applicable    to    Public    Free 
Library  purposes,   instead  of  one  penny  in  the  pound 
upon    its    rateable   value.     This   produced    upwards    of 
;^2,ooo  per  annum  more  than  had  previously  been  con- 
sidered  available   for    Library    purposes.     The    Town 
Clerk  concurred  in  the  view  taken  by  the  Chairman,  and 
the  Committee  considered  they  might  draw  out  their 
estimates   for  the  then  commencing  and    now   current 
financial  year  upon   the  more  liberal  scale  justified  by 
the  increased  income.    They  appended  to  these  estimates 
a  full  explanatory  Report,  in  which  they  stated  that  the 
newly-erected  Branch  Libraries  had  never  been  painted, 
and  were  otherwise  in  an  unfinished  state,  that  all  the 
Branches   were  inadequately  supplied  with   books,  and 
that  the  Rochdale-road  Branch  did  not  afford  standing- 
room  to  those  who  frequented  it.     They  proposed,  if  an 
G 


98  DEALING    WITH   THE  RATE. 

increased  income  was  granted  them,  to  amend  these 
shortcomings.  The  Council  sanctioned  the  Committee's 
views,  and  the  result  has  already  been  to  improve  the 
appearance  of  the  Libraries  and  greatly  increase  their 
working  powers. 

By  authority  of  this  sanction  the  Library  rate  from 
that  time  was  levied  on  the  full  rateable  value  of  the  city, 
with  certain  deductions  in  payment  of  the  poor  rate,  until 
1 89 1,  when,  with  the  approval  of  the  Council,  the  following 
clause  was  inserted  in  the  "  Manchester  Corporation  Bill " 
of  that  year : 

For  the  purposes  of  the  execution  within  the  city  of 
the  Public  Libraries  Act,  1855,  and  the  Acts  amending 
the  same,  such  Acts  shall  be  read  and  have  effect  as 
if  the  limit  thereby  imposed  on  the  amount  authorised 
to  be  paid  out  of  or  levied  by  a  rate  were  twopence 
instead  of  one  penny  in  the  pound. 

This  bill  received  the  Royal  sanction,  and  the  amount 
legally  leviable  still  remains  at  twopence.  The  average 
expenditure  for  the  last  few  years  has,  however,  not 
exceeded  i^d. 

Ever  since  the  authorisation  and  establishment  of  the 
free  library  system  the  strict  limitation  of  the  amount 
spendable  on  the  maintenance  of  public  libraries  has  been 
felt,  especially  in  small  places,  as  a  hardship  and  a  hindrance 
to  the  development  of  institutions  which  the  people  want, 
and  of  whose  helpfulness,  and  incalculable  worth  to  them, 
they  are  convinced.  The  Library  Association  has  dis- 
cussed this  matter  perseveringly,  and  a  clause  has  more 
than  once  been  inserted  in  bills  promoted  by  that  body 
for  the  amendment  of  the  Libraries  Acts,  but  it  has 
invariably  been  withdrawn  or  struck  out.  Several  muni- 
cipalities have,  however,  obtained  an  extension  of  the 
amount  or  the  abolition  of  restriction  by  clauses  in  local 
acts.  It  is  possible  that  if  this  process  be  continued  the 
Government  will  see  the  absurdity  of  the  situation  and 
discourage  opposition  to  a  reform  so  palpably  and 
earnestly  desired. 

GROWTH  IN  BOOKS  AND  THEIR  USE. 
Some  conception  of  the  work  which  had  been 
accomplished  by  the  spending  of  about  ^50,000  may  be 
acquired  from  the  following  tables,  which  show  the  growth 
of  the  libraries  in  books  and  in  the  use  of  them  from 
1852  to  1870: — 


NUMBER    OF   VOLUMES  AND  ISSUES,    1832-70.  99 

NUMBER  OF  VOLUMES  IN  EACH  LIBRARY  IN   1869-70. 


Lending  Libraries 

a  < 

iJ 

c 

Cl4SS 

ti   PS 

-n 

.^"S 

m 

f^  ^ 

0'? 

Total 

3  J 

a, 

Ji 

rt 

0^ 

t;? 

^ 

S 

-9 

i::^ 

^< 

0 

ai 

< 

0 

I.  II.  Theology  and  Philosophy 

2868 

6S2 

390 

330 

286 

424 

4950 

III.  History,  Biography,  &c.. 

12098 

4993 

3437 

2732 

2719 

2^54 

28833 

IV.  Politics  and  Commerce... 

7112 

941 

250 

90 

250 

229 

8872 

4403 
1 1804 

1271 
7650 

1029  ;  799 
5817  \   5697 

1043 

5463 

950 
5652 

9495 

VI.  Literature  &  Polygraphy. 

42083 

Specifications  of  Patents.. 

4018 

4018 

Books  and  vols,  of  Pam- 

phlets not  yet  classified. 

1377 

159  ;  ... 

785 

225 

2546 

Embossed  Books  for  the 

Blind  

24 

19 

22 

47 

27 

139 

Totals 

43680 

15531 

IIIOI 

9670 

10593 

10361 

100936 

ANNUAL   ISSUES  FROM  EACH  LIBRARY  FOR  EACH  YEAR 
SINCE  THE  OPENING  TO  1869-70. 


Lending  Libraries 

3 

Year 

„ 

1 

14 

%:^ 

U3 

s 

g 

? 

3 

S'^ 

a 

c 

6 

X 

< 

e^ 

< 

'^    < 

ist  1852-3... 

61080 

77232 

"^rr 

1  " 

I383I2 

461 

2nd  1853-4... 

64578 

77767 

=  f^r^ 

c  "-ri 

'S.o 

v§ 

142345 

488 

3rd  1854-5... 

66261 

81321 

S  >oo 

N^' 

£ - 

^2 

147582 

495 

4th  1855-6... 

70770 

85783 

?^" 

sd" 

S  tF 

'5^553 

523 

5th  1856-7... 

101991 

96117 

C-) 

u 

r  a 

198108 

666 

6th  1857-8... 

122772 

98251 

50129 

38058 

-2 

309210 

1 131 

7th  1858-9... 

1 1 5206 

75449 

67231 

47628 

305514 

1036 

8th  1859-60. 

1230S4 

74423 

64598 

47358 

14366 

0 

323829 

1250 

9th  i860- 1... 

142433 

78464 

77395 

51532 

59194 

-« 

409018 

1371 

loth  1861-2... 

160496 

93097 

91763 

55269 

70061 

i 

470686 

1.579 

nth  1862-3... 

124065 

104359 

95967 

59181 

75472 

D 

459044 

15,3b 

I2th  1863-4... 

108237 

92762 

889S9 

56091 

68794 

i 

414873 

1401 

13th  1864-5... 

1 12026 

91432 

95687 

54535 

76556 

430236 

1433 

14th  1865-6... 

133056 

80209 

94183 

45508 

75606 

432500 

1485 

15th  1866-7... 

112132 

88675 

155555 

41936 

88602 

105315 

592215 

2008 

i6th  1867-8... 

127053 

95308 

167349 

56246 

94445 

133890 

674291 

2263 

17th  1868-9... 

132653 

97951 

165302 

68444 

96020 

147368 

707738 

2375 

1 8th  1869-70. 

121788 

106416 

172718 

65534 

1 14670 

148155 

729281 

2447 

100      EFFECT  OF  CONDITION  OF  LABOUR  MARKET. 

EFFECT  OF  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  LABOUR  MARKET. 
On  examining  these  figures,  the  gradual  but  sure 
growth  in  the  issues  of  books  in  the  two  departments  from 
1852  to  1857  will  be  seen,  and  also  that  when  the  first  two 
branches  were  formed  the  use  had  risen  to  nearly  half  as 
much  again  as  in  the  first  year  of  working.  Those 
branches,  being  situated  in  the  populous  districts  of  Hulme 
and  Ancoats,  were  from  the  first  exceedingly  successful, 
and  added  largely  to  the  number  of  books  used,  the  figures 
mounting  from  198,108  to  309,210  in  their  opening  year. 
The  direful  days  of  the  cotton  famine,  1862-4,  also  made 
their  impress  upon  these  figures.  To  the  pathetic  scenes  of 
suffering  and  distress  among  the  factory  folk,  so  feelingly 
described  by  Mr.  Edwin  Waugh,may  be  added  the  testimony 
of  Mr.  R.  W.  Smiles,  chief  librarian  at  that  time,  who  says 
in  one  of  his  reports  that  "during  the  winter  of  186 1-2 
the  accommodation  in  the  reference  library  was  found 
inadequate  for  the  number  of  readers,  every  table  being 
completely  surrounded,  and  every  chair  occupied,  a  number 
of  youths  accommodating  themselves  by  sitting  on  the 
warming  pipes,  where  they  were  to  be  seen  in  rows 
on  each  side  of  the  room  every  evening."  The 
figures  show  a  sudden  rise  from  409,018  in  1 860-1  to 
470,686  in  1 86 1 -2,  slightly  falling  again  in  1862-3, 
and  rapidly  decreasing  when  work  became  plentiful 
once  more.  This  effect  of  the  condition  of  the  labour 
market  has  always  been  perceptible :  when  work  is 
good  the  attendance  at  the  libraries  slackens,  when  bad  it 
increases.  Instead  of  sinking  into  a  condition  of  utter 
despair  under  the  cruelty  of  their  sufferings,  thousands  of 
the  factory  hands  during  the  cotton  famine  passed  their 
days  in  the  reading  rooms  of  the  Free  Libraries,  and  by 
the  reading  of  books  or  papers  diverted  their  attention  for 
a  time  from  their  distress,  or  possibly  were  directed    to 


THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH.  loi 

means  of  alleviating  it.  From  this  circumstance  it  would 
seem  evident  that  these  libraries,  in  all  times  of  great  social 
pressure,  are,  and  as  education  grows  more  general  will  in- 
creasingly become,  potent  factors  in  the  maintenance  of  that 
law  and  order  which  it  is  essential  to  uphold  if  the  stability 
and  welfare  of  the  community  are  to  be  preserved,  no  matter 
how  unbearable  the  special  circumstances  may  seem, 

THE   CHEETHAM   BRANCH, 

On  January  29th,  1872,  the  fifth  Branch  Library  was 
opened  in  York  Street,  Cheetham.  The  building  had  / 
been  formerly  used  as  a  school.  The  alterations  required 
w^re  executed  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  J,  G.  Lynde, 
the  city  surveyor,  and  they  provided,  as  far  as  the  space 
would  permit,  for  the  convenience  of  readers  as  well  as 
borrowers. 

The  inaugural  proceedings  took  place  in  the  News- 
room, which  was  crowded  to  the  full  extent  of  its 
accommodation.  Councillor  Thomas  Baker,  the  Chairman 
of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee,  presided,  and  amongst 
those  present  were  William  Booth,  the  Mayor  of  Man- 
chester ;  Aldermen  Bake  and  Murray ;  Councillors 
Hampson,  Worthington,  Harwood,  Booth,  Hodgkinson, 
Livesley,  Ashton,  Waterhouse,  Fox  Turner,  Muirhead, 
Griffin,  and  others. 

The  Chairman  said  they  were  met  that  night  for  the 
purpose  of  inaugurating  the  establishment  of  a  Free 
Public  Library  for  Cheetham  and  the  adjoining  district. 
In  early  times  Manchester  had  a  reading  population, 
and  it  possessed  in  the  Chetham  Library,  which  was 
located  so  near  to  where  they  were  then  assembled,  one 
of  the  earliest  established  free  libraries  in  the  Kingdom, 
It  was  a  public  library  ;  but  owing  to  the  restrictive 
regulations  by  which  it  was  governed,  it  was  of  little  use 
to  the  man  whose  work  occupied  the  ordinary  period 
of  day  labour.     The  small  number  of  hours  it  was  open, 


02  THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH. 

and  these  in  the  late  morning  and  early  afternoon  parts 
of  the  day,  enabled  only  the  man  of  leisure  to  avail  him- 
self of  the  great  treasures  which  that  library  contained. 
To  this  might  no  doubt  be  attributed  the  rise  and 
establishment  in  the  town  of  libraries  of  a  more  popular 
and  accessible  character — such  as  the  several  subscription 
libraries,  and  the  many  circulating  libraries  which 
originated  in  private  individual  enterprise.  It  is  a 
curious  circumstance,  foreshowing  the  present  state  of 
things  in  which  we  are  so  much  interested,  that 
these  libraries  were  to  be  found  not  simply  in  Market- 
street,  King-street,  and  Exchange-street,  which  may 
be  regarded  as  the  centre  of  the  city,  but  in 
the  suburbs  of  London-road  and  Medlock-street. 
In  further  proof  of  the  efforts  made  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  time,  the  various  religious  societies  in  the 
town  had  libraries,  the  use  of  which  in  some  cases  was 
not  confined  to  those  specific  congregations.  The  books 
in  the  circulating  libraries  were  as  well  read  as  those  in 
in  our  branches  ;  but  since  that  time  the  Free  Library 
Committee  had  supplied  the  wants  of  the  reading 
population  so  fully  that  few  of  these  private  libraries  are 
now  in  existence.  His  object  in  drawing  attention  to 
these  facts  was  to  show  that  the  demand  for  books  was  no 
new  one  in  Manchester.  It  was  gratifying  to  know  that 
as  soon  as  the  Corporation  had  taken  up  the  matter,  and 
offered  the  people  books  on  application,  and  newspapers, 
if  they  choose  to  go  to  read  them,  there  was  no  lack  of 
readers,  nor  the  least  doubt  that  the  experiment  would 
prove  a  great  success.  It  was  most  satisfactory  to  be 
able  to  say  that  every  branch  of  the  Free  Library  was 
being  worked  thoroughly  and  effectively — and  he 
entertained  not  the  least  doubt  that  the  library  they 
were  then  met  to  open  would  do  its  work  as  well  as  the 
others.  He  proposed,  before  he  concluded,  to  give  them 
a  little  insight  into  the  character  arid  subjects  of  those 
literary  treasures  which  they  saw  on  the  shelves  around 
them.  The  library  contained  5,335  volumes,  which 
treated  on  almost  every  subject,  and  would  supply 
every  reasonable  literary  want  and  taste.  The  inhabitants 
of  Cheetham  would  consider  that  a  very  fair  number  to 
begin  with.  On  Metaphysics  and  Morals  there  were  99 
volumes,  History  470,  Biography  521,  Political  Economy 
113,  Scientific  Miscellanies  48,  Matliematics  61,  Archi- 


THE   CHEEJHAM  BRANCH.  103 

tecture  and  Building  28,  Art  Miscellanies  19,  Painting, 
Drawing,  and  Perspective  36,  Music  135,  Astronomy  20, 
Chemistry  19,  Physical  Geography  and  Geology  47, 
Natural  History  Miscellanies  52,  Botany  74,  Zoology 
18,  Entomology  23,  Literary  Miscellanies  295,  Poetry 
and  the  Drama  292,  Fiction  1,395,  Periodicals  240. 
There  had  also  been  provided  in  the  room  accommoda- 
tion for  the  reading  of  newspapers  and  periodicals.  He 
anticipated  that  their  expectations  with  reference  to  that 
branch  of  the  Manchester  Free  Library  would  be  fully 
realised. 

The  Mayor  said  he  was  gratified  to  know  that  Cheet- 
ham  had  not  been  forgotten  in  respect  to  a  Free  Library. 
He  complimented  the  inhabitants  of  that  district  on  the 
very  great  boon  which  they  had  that  evening  received 
at  the  hands  of  the  Corporation  of  Manchester,  and  he 
hoped  it  would  be  duly  appreciated.  He  was  glad  to 
find  that  the  volumes  on  the  shelves  comprised  almost 
every  class  of  reading.  There  were  books  for  the  lovers 
of  light  literature,  and  books  for  the  students  of  the  most 
technical  and  difficult  subjects.  The  Library  would,  he 
trusted,  prove  a  great  boon  in  assisting  the  tradesmen 
and  artisans  in  their  several  vocations.  His  Worship 
then  said — '  From  this  time  henceforth  I  declare  this 
Library  to  be  open  to  the  public' 

Mr.  Alderman  Bake  said  he  had  great  pleasure  in 
being  present  to  witness  the  opening  of  the  Branch  Free 
Library  for  the  township  of  Cheetham.  They  had  waited 
for  it  long,  and  their  representatives  had  worked  hard 
for  it,  and  now,  thanks  to  the  Committee,  they  had  got 
it  at  last.  As  regards  the  Library  itself,  he  knew  the 
inhabitants  would  be  proud  of  it,  and  he  had  no  doubt 
that  before  the  end  of  twelve  months  the  Committee 
would  find  their  grant  had  not  been  given  in  vain. 

Mr.  William  Horsfall,  in  moving,  on  behalf  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Cheetham,  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee,  observed  that  one  difficulty 
which  had  seemed  to  stand  in  the  way  of  obtaining 
a  Library  for  this  locality  was  that  the  residents 
were  looked  upon  as  being  somewhat  aristocratic 
and  well-to-do,  and  therefore  could  well  afford  to  pur- 
chase books  for  themselves.      That,  he  believed,  was  a 


104  THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH. 

mistake,  as  a  large  proportion  of  the  poorer  classes  were 
found  among  them  who  could  not  afford  to  buy  books. 
The  question  of  a  Free  Library  for  Cheetham  had  been 
mooted  in  the  Council  for  years  past,  and  he  now  desired 
to  express  the  thanks  of  the  district  for  its  establishment. 

The  resolution  was  passed  by  acclamation. 

This  library  opened  with  a  larger,  better,  and  more 
carefully  selected  collection  of  books  than  had  been 
placed  in  any  branch  previously  established.  In  the 
selection  of  the  books  a  two-fold  aim  had  been  kept 
in  view  ;  first,  a  due  proportion  between  the  various 
branches  of  human  learning,  so  that  the  student  of 
each  division  might  find  something  bearing  on  the 
subject  of  his  studies.  Completeness  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion ;  but  the  lovers  of  Mathematics,  of  Geology,  of 
Natural  History,  of  Music,  and  so  forth  would  all  find 
something  relating  to  their  favourite  studies.  The  second 
object  aimed  at  was  to  include  as  many  as  possible  of  the 
works  of  the  greatest  thinkers  and  poets  of  all  times.  In 
its  first  full  year  of  working  4,206  borrowers  were  credited 
with  64,300  applications  for  the  7,644  books  then  on  the 
shelves. 

There  was  no  anticipation  that  the  success  of  this 
branch  would  be  so  overwhelming  as  it  immediately 
proved.  Almost  from  the  day  of  the  opening  the  accom- 
modation was  seen  to  be  extremely  inadequate  for  so 
populous  a  district,  and  two  years  later  communications 
were  addressed  to  the  Earl  of  Derby,  a  large  owner  of  land 
in  the  neighbourhood,  with  the  view  of  inducing  him  to 
present  a  plot  of  land  on  which  a  new  building  for  the 
Library  might  be  placed.  His  lordship  offered  to  give  to 
the  Committee  a  piece  of  land  at  the  back  of  the  main 
road,  and  not  well  situated  for  their  purposes.  When  the 
Committee  selected  an  eminently  suitable  piece  of  land  on 
the  main  street,  and  offered   to  purchase  it.  Lord  Derby 


THE  CHEETHAM  BRANCH.  105 

deducted  from  the  price  the  estimated  value  of  the  land 
he  had  previously  proposed  to  give.  For  the  small  sum 
of  ;^700  a  splendid  site,  containing  about  700  square 
yards,  was  therefore  obtained,  and  on  May  nth,  1876,  the 
foundation  stone  for  a  new  library  building  was  laid  by 
Alderman  Thomas  Baker.  The  ceremony  was  a  public 
one,  and  amongst  those  present  on  the  occasion  were 
Alderman  Curtis,  the  Mayor  of  Manchester,  Councillor 
James  Croston,  several  other  members  of  the  Libraries 
Committee,  and  a  number  of  representative  inhabitants 
of  the  ward. 

Councillor  James  Croston  handed  to  Alderman  Thomas 
Baker  a  silver  trowel  having  engraved  upon  it  Mr.  Baker's 
Coat  of  Arms,  and  the  following  inscription: — '  Presented 
to  Mr.  Alderman  Baker  by  the  Members  of  the  Free 
Libraries  Committee,  on  occasion  of  his  laying  the 
Corner  Stone  of  the  Public  Free  Library,  Township  of 
Cheetham,  City  of  Manchester,  May  nth,  1876.'  He 
then  said: — Alderman  Baker,  in  the  name  and  on  behalf 
of  the  Public  Libraries  Committee  of  this  city,  I  have 
the  pleasure  of  presenting  to  you  this  trowel  wherewith 
to  lay  the  corner-stone  of  the  Cheetham  Branch  of  the 
Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries.  When  some  years  ago 
the  establishment  of  a  branch  library  in  this  township 
was  first  suggested,  there  were  those  who  said  that  it  was 
unnecessary — that  the  inhabitants  of  Cheetham  were  not 
those  for  whose  benefit  free  libraries  were  intended,  for 
the  reason  that  they  were  a  class  of  people  who  could 
afford  to  buy  the  books  they  wished  to  read.  He 
believed  that  no  greater  mistake  could  have  been  made. 
From  a  long  and  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  district 
he  might  say  there  was  no  part  of  Manchester  where 
such  a  privilege  would  be  of  greater  benefit  or  be  more 
highly  appreciated.  There  were  residing  in  the  township 
a  large  number  of  young  men  who  were  employed  as 
warehousemen  and  clerks,  and  in  similar  occupations,  to 
whom  such  an  institution  would  not  only  afford  the 
opportunity  of  mental  culture,  but  would  be  the  means 
of  withdrawing  them  from  the  frivolous  amusements  and 
manifold  temptations  which  in  this  city  beset  those  who 
were  rising  into  manhood.     The  existing  library  in  the 


io6  THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH. 

township,  he  said,  had  a  very  modest  beginning  a  few 
years  ago,  indeed  it  was  intended  rather  as  an  experiment 
than  as  a  permanent  institution,  but  the  large  number  of 
persons  who  had  availed  themselves  of  it,  and  who 
crowded  its  small  room  every  evening,  showed  how  much 
it  had  been  appreciated.  For  the  success  generally  of 
free  libraries  in  Manchester,  they  were  indebted  to  the 
untiring  energy  and  zeal  of  their  Chairman,  Alderman 
Baker,  who  had  devoted  a  great  amount  of  time  and 
attention  to  the  supervision  of  every  detail  in  connection 
with  them,  and  had  long  made  them  the  special  objects 
of  his  attention,  and  he  felt  that  he  would  be  wanting  in 
fairness  if  he  did  not  thus  publicly  acknowledge  the 
services  he  had  rendered.  He  trusted  that  that  would 
be  a  red-letter  day  in  Cheetham,  and  that  the  library — 
the  corner-stone  of  which  was  about  to  be  laid — would 
for  many  generations  to  come  be  largely  availed  of  by  the 
inhabitants,  and  in  supplying  the  means  of  mental  and 
moral  improvement  be  a  blessing  to  the  people  of  the 
district. 

Alderman  Baker,  after  accepting  the  trowel,  said  that 
the  bottle  which  he  had  deposited  under  the  foundation 
stone  contained  the  three  Manchester  newspapers  of 
that  morning — the  Guardian,  the  Examiner  and  Times, 
and  the  Courier — a  copy  of  the  last  Annual  Report  of 
the  Free  Libraries  Committee,  and  a  list  of  the  present 
Committee,  written  on  parchment,  as  well  as  a  Memoran- 
dum, also  on  parchment,  of  the  foundation  stone  being 
laid  by  himself  on  that  day,  and  the  names  of  Messrs. 
Barker  and  Ellis  as  the  architects.  A  few  new  coins 
were  put  in,  amounting  in  value  to  four  shillings  and  five 
pence.  After  declaring  the  stone  to  be  '  well  and  truly 
laid,'  Mr.  Baker  said  that  was  the  fourth  branch  library 
in  the  rearing  of  which  he  had  taken  an  active  part  since 
he  had  become  a  member  of  the  Free  Libraries  Com- 
mittee, but  he  did  not  think  that  any  former  branch  library 
had  been  commenced  with  so  bright  a  prospect  of  future 
prosperity  as  that  one.  The  success  of  the  Free  Library 
in  Cheetham  had  been  unexampled.  It  was  opened  on 
the  29th  January,  1872,  and  during  the  first  twelve 
months  upwards  of  65,000  volumes  had  been  lent  out  for 
perusal.  During  the  last  twelve  months  the  number  had 
increased  to  74,000  volumes,  while  upwards  of  155,600 


THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH.  107 

visits  had  been  paid  to  the  newsroom  for  the  purpose  of 
reading  either  the  newspapers  and  periodicals  which  lay 
upon  the  tables,  or  books  handed  from  the  shelves.    _  He 
believed  that  everybody  would  agree  with  him  in  think- 
ing that  this  was   a  great  business  to  be  conducted  in 
premises    little    larger    than    an    ordinary    retail    shop. 
Soon    after    the    opening    of    the    Library    it    became 
evident    to    the    Committee    that    they    would    have    to 
erect    a    building    in    that    district    which    should    be 
capable    of    meeting    the    requirements    of  the    inhabi- 
tants, and  therefore  they  set  about  looking  for  a  piece 
of  land    suitable    for    their    purpose.     They   ultimately 
selected  the  spot  on  which  they  were  then  assembled, 
and  opened  a  communication  with  Lord  Derby,  to  whom 
it  belonged,  with  a  view  to  its  purchase.     His  lordship 
met  them  in  a  most  generous  spirit,  and  remitted  one 
half  of  the  purchase  money,  so  that  the  magnificent  plot 
of  ground,  fronting  the  main  road,  the  best  site  they 
could  have  chosen  if  they  had  had  the  whole  township 
before  them,  came  into  the  possession  of  the  Corporation 
free   of  chief  rent,  for   the   small  sum  of  ;^700.     The 
Committee  had  obtained  several  sets  of  designs  for  the 
new    library,  and  they  had    selected    those    of   Messrs. 
Barker    and    Ellis,   who,  he   believed,  would  produce  a 
building   which    would    be    a    great    ornament    to    the 
township.     The  inside  dimensions  of  the  room  would  be 
92  feet  10  inches  by  58  feet  10  inches,  giving  an  area  of 
606  square  yards,  of  which  the  counter  and  library  would 
occupy  113  square  yards,  and  the  entrance  and  reading 
room  493  square  yards.     The  cost    including  the   land 
would  be  about  ^10,000.     He  had  an  especial  pleasure 
in  meeting  the  people  of  Cheetham  that  day,  for  when 
a    poll    was    taken    in     1852    to    decide    whether    the 
Public    Free    Libraries   x\ct   should    or  should    not   be 
introduced  into  Manchester,  there  was  not  one  adverse 
vote  given  in  that  township.    Of  Sir  John  Potter,  who  was 
the  originator  of  the  free  library  movement  in  Manchester, 
he    would    take   that    opportunity    of    observing    that, 
although    he    did     much     good    in    other    ways,    and 
presided  as  Mayor  for  three  years  over  that  great  city,  he 
regarded    his    good    works    done    in    that    capacity    as 
fugitive    when    compared    with    the    blessings    he    was 
laying    up    in    store    for    his    fellow    citizens    in    the 
establishment  of  free  libraries.     Sir  John  did  not  know 


io8  THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH. 

at  the  time  that  the  tree  which  he  was  planting  would 
grow  to  be  so  mighty  a  monarch  and  extend  its  branches 
so  widely,  and  he  wished  he  were  with  them  that  after- 
noon to  hear  the  statement  he  was  about  to  make,  which 
was  that  3,000  volumes  were  now  issued  every  day  from 
these  libraries,  being  nearly  900,000  volumes  each  year, 
whilst  the  number  of  visits  each  year  to  the  newsrooms 
was  now  upwards  of  one  million  and  a  half.  These  were 
mighty  results,  and  the  merit  due  to  Sir  John  Potter, 
was  inestimable,  for  in  these  days  when  working  men 
exercise  such  great  political  power  in  the  country,  it  was 
of  the  utmost  importance  that  they  should  be  educated. 
It  was  essential  to  the  well  being  of  the  community  that 
they  should  be  well  informed  on  all  the  leading  topics  of 
the  day.  There  were  large  classes  of  people  in  this 
City  of  Manchester  whom  Mechanics'  Institutions,  and 
Athenaeums,  and  other  educational  societies  did  not 
reach.  To  these,  and  others  who  have  not  had  the 
advantages  of  an  early  education,  like  the  children  of  our 
day  have,  the  newsrooms  attached  to  the  libraries  were 
open  without  any  introduction,  and  supplied  information 
on  every  important  movement  throughout  the  kingdom. 
They  were  institutions  for  the  millions.  Besides  the 
knowledge  he  gets  from  the  newspapers,  the  working 
man  may  obtain  from  the  libraries  books  on  every 
imaginable  subject  with  which  to  occupy  his  leisure 
hours.  If  too  weary  to  pore  over  treatises  on  science  or 
history  there  were  at  his  command  some  of  the  best 
novels  that  had  been  written.  Objections  had  some- 
times been  raised  to  novels  being  in  the  libraries, 
but  he  maintained  that,  in  one  respect,  they  were  as  good 
as  histories,  and  that  the  characters  in  them  were  as 
instructive.  He  need  not  refer  to  the  characters  in  the 
novels  of  Sir  Walter  Scott,  as  they  were  avowedly 
historical,  but  he  would  give  a  few  instances  from  one  or 
two  of  Dickens'  Works  in  which  the  characters  were 
mostly  imaginative.  Who,  for  example,  could  read  about 
Wilkins  Micawber,  '  always  waiting  for  something  to 
turn  up,'  without  associating  with  him  the  idea  of 
idleness  and  reckless  improvidence  ?  He  asked  also  if 
guilelessness  and  unaffected  goodness  would  not  be 
associated  with  Tom  Pinch  ?  And  was  not  Pecksniff 
the  very  embodiment  of  hollow  hypocrisy  and  pompous- 
ness  ?     Readers  would  naturally  avoid  the  exhibition  in 


THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH.  109 

themselves  of  those  quahties  they  condemned  in  others. 
Incidentally,  too,  in  these  same  novels  of  Dickens, 
expressions  occurred  which  had  become  household  words. 
The  '  circumlocution  office '  had  impressed  upon  every- 
body's mind  a  tolerably  correct  idea  of  what  a  department 
of  the  public  service  ought  not  to  be,  and  the  few  words 
of  Captain  Cuttle,  '  when  found  make  a  note  of,'  had 
furnished  the  motto  of  one  of  the  most  instructive  and 
valuable  periodicals  of  the  age.  By  means  of  the  free 
libraries  men  might  learn  those  principles  of  knowledge 
and  freedom  which  conduced  in  the  highest  degree  to 
the  prosperity  and  advantage  of  the  country.  They 
might  be  described  as  active  and  powerful  means  of 
working  out  the  old  and  corrupt  notions  which  had 
occupied  men's  minds.  Applying  to  them  the  words  of 
Tennyson,  they  would  aid  very  greatly  to 

Ring  out  the  old,  ring  in  the  new, 
Ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the  true. 
Ring  in  the  valiant  man  and  free, 

The  larger  heart,  the  kindlier  hand ; 

Ring  out  the  darkness  of  the  land, 
Ring  in  the  Christ  that  is  to  be. 

Mr.  Henry  Winterbottom,  M.R.C.S.,  proposed  on 
behalf  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cheetham,  a  vote  of  thanks 
to  Alderman  Baker  for  his  kindness  in  coming  amongst 
them  on  that  occasion,  as  well  as  for  the  workmanlike 
skill  which  he  had  displayed  in  discharging  his  duties. 
He  also  begged  cordially  to  thank  the  Corporation 
of  Manchester  for  the  very  great  boon  which  they 
had  conferred  upon  the  residents  of  the  ward  in 
establishing  the  Free  Library,  the  appreciation  of  which 
had  been  daily  testified  to  by  the  numbers  who  availed 
themselves  of  its  advantages.  He  said  the  position 
of  Mr.  Baker  in  the  Council,  as  Chairman  of  the  Free 
Libraries  Committee,  was  a  most  enviable  one,  and 
one  of  which  any  man  might  be  proud,  but  it  was  a 
position  which  could  not  well  be  occupied  except  by  a 
person  possessing  education,  culture,  refinement,  and 
gentlemanly  conduct.  He  trusted  the  ceremony  of  that 
day  was  an  omen  that  the  success  which  had  hitherto 
attended  the  Cheetham  Free  Library  would  be  increased 
tenfold,  and  that  from  the  structure  now  being  raised, 


no  THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH. 

useful  knowledge  would  be  disseminated  throughout  the 
township. 

Mr.  Joseph  Wood  said  he  had  great  pleasure  in 
seconding  the  motion,  not  that  Alderman  Baker  required 
their  thanks  at  all,  it  being  manifest  to  all  who  took  an 
interest  in  the  removal  of  ignorance  and  vice  by  the  dif- 
fusion of  knowledge  that  his  heart  was  in  the  work,  and 
his  chief  reward  the  great  success  which  had  attended 
the  labours  of  himself  and  colleagues  of  the  Libraries 
Committee.  As  the  State  had  taken  means  to  promote 
a  more  general  education  of  children  throughout  the 
country,  thereby  creating  a  craving  for  books,  it  was 
only  reasonable  that  libraries  like  this  should  be 
multiplied  for  the  supply  of  wholesome  literature, 
whereby  the  mental  wants  of  the  people  might  be 
abundantly  met. 

The  motion  was  carried  with  acclamation,  and  with  a 
brief  reply  from  Mr.  Baker  the  proceedings  concluded. 

The  formal  opening  of  the  new  building  in  York 
Street,  Cheetham,  provided  for  the  purposes  of  a  Branch 
Lending  Library,  took  place  on  Monday,  nth  February, 
1878.  Amongst  the  gentlemen  present  at  the  ceremony 
were  Alderman  Worthington,  Deputy-Chairman  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee  (who  presided,  in  the  absence, 
through  illness,  of  the  Chairman,  Alderman  Baker) ; 
Aldermen  Heywood  and  Bake;  Councillors  Batty,  Walker, 
May,  Rowley,  Ashton,  Muirhead,  Shaw,  Murray,  Reade, 
Bazley,  Walton  Smith,  Moulton,  Craven,  Spencer, 
Greenwood,  Payne,  Hilton,  Stewart,  Croston,  Little,  Peel, 
Birch,  Asquith,  Booth,  Thompson,  Griffin,  Livesley, 
Mather,  Bright,  Schofield,  and  Brierley ;  Mr.  Malcolm 
Ross  ;  Mr.  Robert  Neill ;  Mr.  Alexander  Ireland  ;  Mr. 
Chancellor  Christie  ;  Dr.  John  Watts  ;  the  Rev.  R.  Adams, 
Rector  of  St.  Thomas's,  Red  Bank  ;  the  Rev.  Professor 
Isaacs,  of  the  Jewish  Synagogue ;  Mr,  A.  Crestadoro 
Chief    Librarian ;    Mr.   J,    H.    Nodal,    President   of    the 


THE    CHEETHAM  BRANCH.  m 

Manchester  Literary  Club,  and  Mr.  George  Milner,  Vice- 
President  ;  Mr.  W.  E.  A.  Axon,  and  others. 

The  Chairman  (Alderman  Thomas  Worthington),  in 
opening  the  proceedings,  said  : — I   am  sorry  to  say  our 
excellent  Chairman  (Alderman  Baker),  is  prevented  by 
indisposition  from  being  here  to-day.    In  1872  we  opened 
a  Branch  Library  in  this  locality,  a  little  lower  down 
the  road,  and  at  that  time  we  considered  the  room  we 
took  for  the  purpose  would  be   quite   large  enough  for 
many  years  to  come.     Little  did  we  expect  that  in  so 
short  a  time  Cheetham  would  require  so  large  a  building 
as  this.     However,  such  proved  to  be  the  fact.     It  has 
been  our  desire  in  the  past,  and  will  be  in  the  future,  to 
make  the  Libraries  as  useful  as  possible,  and  my  desire 
is  that  we  should  do  everything  we  can  to  wean  people 
from  the  street  corners  and  the  public-houses,  by  pro- 
viding them  with  places  like  this  where  they  can  meet 
for  a  useful  purpose,  and  obtain  that  information  which 
will  make  them  better  citizens.     It  may  be  interesting 
to  know  the  number  of  visits  made  to  the  Free  Libraries 
during  the  past  year,  which  I  am  happy  to  say,  exceeds 
two  millions.     In  the  face  of  a  fact  like  that  I  think  no 
one  will  doubt  that  the  Committee  are  doing  a  useful 
work  in  Manchester. 
Mr.  Joseph  Wood  moved  the  following  resolution : 

That  this  meeting  of  ratepayers  of  Cheetham  Ward 
desires  to  acknowledge  its  high  appreciation  of  the 
great  advantages  which  will  accrue  from  the 
establishment  of  a  new  Lending  Library  which 
has  this  day  been  opened,  and  desires  to  tender 
to  the  Committee  and  the  City  Council  its  cordial 
thanks  for  this  most  valuable  institution. 

And  added,  I  desire  to  express  to  you,  Mr.  Chairman,  and 
to  this  meeting,  the  high  appreciation  I  have  of  this 
valuable  institution,  and  as  citizens  of  Cheetham,  I  think 
it  is  the  duty  of  all  of  us  to  appreciate  such  a  gift.  When 
I  reflect  what  facilities  young  men  have  for  mental 
improvement  in  these  days,  as  compared  with  what  they 
had  when  I  was  a  young  man,  I  begin  to  think  it  is  a 
great  advantage  to  be  a  young  man  in  these  days,  for 
here  you  can  come  and  ask  for  any  book  you  want  out 
of  these  priceless  treasures,  and  take  it  home  to  peruse 


112  THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH. 

without  any  fee  or  payment  of  any  kind.  In  addition  to 
that  privilege  you  have  this  splendid  temple  in  which 
you  can  come  and  read  the  various  newspapers  and 
magazines.  To  have  such  a  building  as  this  in  Cheetham 
is  a  very  great  honour  to  the  city  which  has  provided  it. 
When  I  was  in  my  apprenticeship  I  paid  six  shillings  a 
year  to  a  small  Mechanics'  Institution,  whose  library  did 
not  contain  as  many  books  as  there  are  on  that  one  shelf 
before  me.  It  is  very  sad  to  see  that  the  principles 
of  political  economy  are  no  better  understood  than  they 
seem  to  be  by  employers  and  employed,  judging  from 
the  frequent  differences  arising  between  them,  and  I 
believe  if  the  working  men  of  Manchester  would  only 
use  these  libraries  more  those  principles  would  become 
better  understood,  and  strikes  be  unknown. 

Mr.  Henry  Winterbottom,  in  seconding  the  resolution 
said:  I  am  proud  to  find  that  we  possess  such  a 
magnificent  building  as  this,  so  well  adapted  for  the 
purpose  in  all  its  details  and  I  am  sure  we  shall  all  agree 
that  great  credit  is  due  to  the  architect,  the  builder,  and 
all  concerned.  I  am  pleased  to  hear  that  the  lending 
library  has  been  so  much  appreciated  in  Cheetham, 
indeed  we  have  taken  a  greater  interest  in  the  free  library 
movement  than  any  other  district  in  Manchester. 

Councillor  James  Croston  (one  of  the  representatives 
of  Cheetham)  supported  the  motion.  He  said  : — I  may 
remind  you  that  this  is  the  last  of  the  branch  lending 
libraries  at  present  in  contemplation,  but  whilst  reminding 
you  of  that  fact,  and  that  the  Committee  have  rendered 
but  tardy  justice  to  this  district,  I  think  when  you  meet  in 
this  handsome  and  spacious  room  and  see  the  literary 
treasures  which  have  been  gathered  together  for  you, 
you  will  agree  with  me  in  saying  that  you  have  lost 
nothing  by  the  exercise  of  your  patience.  I  believe  I 
may  congratulate  you  on  having  the  largest,  most  hand- 
some, and  I  may  add  the  most  costly  lending  library  in 
the  city.  But  I  am  not  going  to  say  that  that  is  more 
than  is  due  to  Cheetham.  I  hope  the  work  will  be  the 
beginning  of  better  days  in  Cheetham,  that  you  will  feel 
your  interests  have  not  been  neglected,  and  will  show 
your  appreciation  of  the  provision  which  has  been 
made  by  making  good  use  of  the  books  and  papers.     I 


THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH.  113 

know  there  was  a  strong  objection  raised  to  the  opening 
of  a  Free  Library  in  Cheetham,  on  the  ground  that  the 
people  were  intelligent,  learned,  and  wealthy,  so  that 
they  could  afford  to  buy  books  and  papers  themselves. 
I  think  we  showed  the  objctors  that  in  Cheetham  there 
was  a  large  number  of  industrious  working  men  and 
clerks  who  could  not  afford  to  purchase  many 
books,  but  by  whom  these  books  were  most  likely 
to  be  made  good  use  of,  and  that  by  the  perusal 
of  these  books  they  would  obtain  that  knowledge 
which  would  render  them  more  likely  to  become 
useful  and  honourable  members  of  the  communit}'. 
This  is  a  great  educational  age  :  what  with  the  building 
of  schools,  the  establishment  of  school  boards  and  in- 
stitutions for  teaching  the  youth  of  the  country,  we  may 
hope  to  see  the  next  generation  much  better  informed 
than  the  last,  and  it  becomes  the  duty  of  those  who 
occupy  places  of  public  trust,  to  see  that  the  youth  after 
leaving  the  day  schools,  to  enter  upon  some  kind  of 
occupation,  shall  have  the  means  of  continuing  their 
course  of  instruction  during  leisure  hours  so  as  to  make 
them  better  citizens  and  better  Christians.  I  believe 
there  is  no  section  of  the  community  which  might  not 
derive  advantage  from  a  perusal  of  the  books  this  library 
contains.  It  would  shed  light  upon  the  humblest  cot, 
and  afford  immense  adv:antage  to  even  the  occupant 
of  a  palace.  I  know  of  nothing  more  advantageous 
to  a  working  man  than  that  instead  of  going  to  the 
tavern  after  his  day's  work,  he  can  come  to  a  library 
like  this,  get  a  book  and  take  it  home  with  him,  the 
perusal  of  which  will  make  him  forget  for  a  time  the 
cares  and  anxieties  produced  by  his  day's  toil,  and  he 
will  rise  up  the  next  morning  better  educated  and  more 
enlightened  than  he  was  on  the  previous  day.  And 
these  advantages  are  not  confined  to  one  section  of  the 
community,  the  possession  of  power  is  said  to  be  the 
possession  of  truth,  and  I  think  it  was  Pope  who  said  : — 

A  little  learning  is  a  dangerous  thing, 
Drink  deep,  or  taste  not  the  Pierian  spring. 
I  hold  that  the  converse  of  this  is  equally  true,  and  that 
there  was  much  truth  in  the  saying  that  '  an  Englishman 
ought  to  know  something  of  everything,  and  everything 
of  something,'  that  is  to  say,  he  should  make  himself 

H 


14  THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH. 

master  of  some  particular  branch  of  study,  and  have  a 
general  acquaintance  with  almost  every  other  branch. 
And  I  believe  there  is  not  a  branch  of  science  or  literature 
which  you  will  not  find  represented  by  the  books  on 
these  shelves.  The  possession  of  knowledge  is  a 
treasure  which  neither  wealth  nor  position  can  purchase, 
neither  can  poverty  or  misfortune  deprive  you  of  it.  It 
cheered  the  heart  of  Galileo  under  the  oppression  of  the 
Inquisition ;  it  was  the  faithful  companion  of  John 
Bunyan  ;  it  consoled  the  mind  of  Dante  when  a  grief- 
stricken  exile;  and  it  lightened  the  labours  of  poor 
Hugh  Miller  ;  it  shed  light  upon  the  blindness  of  Milton  ; 
and  placed  an  evergreen  garland  around  the  brow  of 
our  own  immortal  bard,  Shakspere.  And  I  believe  these 
branch  libraries  have  been  the  means  of  conveying 
comfort,  hope,  and  consolation  to  many  a  labouring  man 
in  this  city  ;  that  they  have  cheered  the  heart  of  many 
a  humble  worker  whom  through  their  influence, 
Manchester  may  some  day  feel  proud  to  claim  as  her 
townsman. 

Mr.  Malcolm  Ross  also  supported  the  motion.  He 
said  :— I  little  thought  twenty-six  years  ago,  when  I  was 
favoured  to  be  present  and  take  part  in  the  opening  of 
the  Free  Library  in  Campfield,  we  should  so  soon  be 
opening  a  magnificent  building  like  this  as  a  branch  of 
it,  the  fifth  of  such  branches  too.  Mr.  Wood  has  referred 
to  a  period  when  the  opportunity  of  reading  books  was 
not  so  easily  obtained.  •  It  was  so  in  my  own  case,  for 
there  was  only  one  library  open  every  Saturday  night 
from  seven  till  nine,  and  such  was  the  desire  for  reading 
that  myself  and  some  others  used  to  go  there  at  seven 
o'clock,  take  a  book  from  the  shelves  and  sit  by  the  fire 
reading  it  till  nine,  and  then  exchange  it  for  one  that 
was  to  last  for  a  week.  The  newspapers  were  then  pub- 
lished only  once  or  twice  a  week,  and  the  price  of  them 
was  7d.  each.  Here  you  will  be  able  to  see  every 
newspaper  published  in  Manchester,  as  well  as  others, 
every  day,  free  of  charge.  Having  then  received  so 
many  advantages  beyond  what  we  had  when  we  were 
young,  I  hope  you  will  show  by  the  use  you  make  of 
them  that  you  appreciate  them,  and  so  profit  by  them  as 
to  show  a  good  example  to  the  generation  which  has  to 
follow. 


THE   CHEETHAM  BRANCH.  115 

The  motion  was  then  passed,  and  the  Chairman 
declared  the  Hbrary  open  to  the  public. 

Councillor  Ashton  (one  of  the  representatives  of 
Cheetham  Ward)  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Alderman 
Worthington  for  presiding.  He  said  : — It  has  often  been 
said  that  the  people  of  Cheetham  Ward  could  afford  to 
pay  for  books  themselves,  but  I  maintain  that  though 
there  are  many  intelligent  young  men  in  Cheetham,  they 
are  not  overburdened  with  money,  and  this  library  will 
just  provide  them  with  what  they  are  anxious  to  obtain 
but  cannot  afford  to  purchase,  and  as  they  are  men  who 
will  eventually  rule,  if  not  in  parliament  possibly  in  the 
municipal  council,  it  is  desirable  they  should  have  every 
opportunity  of  educating  themselves  for  such  positions 
in  life. 

Mr.  Robert  Neill  (ex-Alderman)  seconded  the  motion. 
He  said  :— As  an  old  ratepayer  in  this  township  I  feel 
very  great  interest  in  our  proceedings  to-day.  VVe  have 
all  watched  this  building  growing  up  for  a  rather  con- 
siderable time,  but  I  had  no  idea  until  now  that  it  was  so 
ample,  so  spacious,  and  so  elegant  a  building.  The 
Council  have  been  a  long  time  in  recognising  our  claims, 
but  when  they  have  done  it,  they  have  done  it  well. 
When  I  look  at  this  room,  and  consider  either  its  archi- 
tecture or  the  way  in  which  the  work  has  been  carried 
out,  I  must  say  it  reflects  great  credit  on  all  the  parties 
concerned.  I  belong  to  a  trade  in  which  there  is  a 
technical  school  for  teaching  boys,  and  although  the 
employers  pay  the  school  wages  it  is  with  considerable 
difficulty  we  can  get  the  boys  to  go.  I  hope  that  will 
not  be  the  case  here.  Previous  speakers  have  told  you 
how  different  things  are  in  this  respect  now  from  what 
they  were  when  they  were  boys.  I  may  say  I  had  the 
misfortune  to  be  brought  up  where  there  was  no  library 
at  all — and  I  never  had  a  book  to  read  except  my  school 
books  until  I  could  work  and  was  able  to  buy  one. 
Here  you  will  get  books  which  will  not  only  amuse,  but 
instruct  you,  and  make  you  into  men  and  women  who 
will  be  a  credit  to  the  city.  I  have  some  little  pride  in 
being  a  Cheetham  ratepayer,  for  I  believe  we  are  the 
best  behaved  part  of  the  city.  I  believe  there  are  fewer 
of  us  appear  in  the  police  courts,  and  therefore  I  hope 
this  library  will  help  you  to  maintain  this  good  character, 


ii6  THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY. 

and   that  you    will  show  by  the  use  you  make  of  the 
privilege  that  you  appreciate  it. 

The  motion  was  passed  with  acclamation,  and  briefly 
acknowledged  by  Mr.  Worthington,  and  the  proceedings 
terminated. 

In  the  Cheatham  Branch  there  is  no  separation  between 
the  library  and  newsroom.  This  is  not  the  ideal  arrange- 
ment, for  it  is  found  difficult  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the 
lending  department  without  disturbing  the  quiet  and 
decorum  of  the  reading  room.  A  boys'  room  was, 
subsequent  to  the  opening,  formed  in  the  basement,  and 
first  used  on  December  19th,  1883. 

THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY. 
From  their  establishment  in  1852  the  reference  library 
and  chief  lending  library  had  continued  to  be  housed  in 
the  building  in  Campfield,  and  although  five  branch 
libraries  had  been  opened  from  time  to  time  the  parent 
institution  not  only  maintained  but  steadily  increased  its 
popularity.  In  1873  the  issues  from  the  lending  library 
had  increased  to  108,342,  being  about  30,000  more  than 
at  the  commencement,  and  those  in  the  reference  librar}' 
had  risen  to  151,700,  being  more  than  twice  the  number 
of  the  first  year.  The  accommodation  provided  by  the 
building  had,  however,  never  been  very  satisfactory. 
The  lending  library  was  too  low,  and  the  ventilation 
very  defective.  The  reference  library  was  too  far  from 
the  centre  of  the  town,  and  was  also  insufficient  in 
shelving,  some  of  the  books  having  to  be  stored  at  the 
branch  libraries.  Moreover,  the  structure,  not  having  been 
erected  with  a  view  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  had  been 
employed,  began  to  give  way  beneath  the  weight  of  books 
placed  against  its  walls.  In  1877  its  condition  became  so 
alarming  that  the  library  was  abruptly  closed.  The 
books  were  removed  with  as  much  speed  as  possible,  and 


THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY.  117 

were  placed  in  the  offices  of  the  old  Town  Hall  in  King 
Street,  which  had  just  been  rendered  vacant  by  the 
Corporation  taking  possession  of  the  New  Town  Hall  in 
Albert  Square. 

In  April  of  the  same  year  the  Council  authorised  the 
occupation  of  the  old  Town  Hall  as  a  reference  library,  and 
by  resolution  passed  on  5th  March,  1884,  transferred  the 
building  and  the  unoccupied  land  adjoining  it  to  the 
Libraries  Committee.  This  action  received  the  approval  of 
the  Treasury  Commissioners  on  March  20th.  The  work 
of  alteration  was  at  once  put  in  hand,  was  completed  in 
February,  1878,  and  after  the  inauguration  by  public 
meeting  of  the  new  building  for  the  Cheetham  branch, 
which  took  place  on  February  nth,  the  meeting  adjourned 
to  the  Reference  Library  for  the  purpose  of  opening  it 
also  to  the  public. 

Immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  the  ceremony 
in  Cheetham,  the  Reference  Library  at  the  Old  Town 
Hall,  King  Street,  was  formally  opened  by  the  Mayor, 
Alderman  Grundy.  Most  of  the  gentlemen  who  had 
been  present  at  the  Cheetham  Branch  Library  were  there 
also,  as  well  as  the  following  among  others  : — Aldermen 
Lamb,  Murray,  and  Hopkinson ;  Mr.  James  Crossley 
(President  of  the  Chetham  Society),  Mr.  Edwin  Waugh, 
Mr.  J.  G.  Mandley,  Mr.  Abel  Heywood,  junr.,  Mr.  H.  H. 
Howorth,  Dr.  Samelson,  Mr.  John  Leigh  (Officer  of 
Health),  and  the  Rev.  W.  A.  O'Conor,  B.A. 

The  Mayor  on  rising  to  open  the  proceedings  said  : — 
Our  friends,  the  Free  Libraries  Committee,  seem  to  have 
thought  their  ceremony  to-day  would  not  be  complete 
without  the  presence  of  the  Mayor,  therefore,  the  Mayor 
has  come,  as  he  is  everybody's  humble  servant  just  now. 
I  am  not  sure  however,  that  I  am  in  the  right  place,  for 
to  tell  you  the  truth  I  have  been  talking  water  a  good 
many  days  past  and  I  am  not  sure  whether  I  shall  not 


Ii8  THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY, 

finish  with  water  on  the  brain.  At  any  rate  I  am  very 
ill  prepared  to  say  anything  on  the  question  of  libraries 
which  is  worthy  of  being  said  to  the  company  I  find 
assembled  here,  or  anything  worthy  of  the  majestic 
looking  throne  upon  which  it  has  been  thought  proper  to 
place  me. 

In  1877,  the  Council  authorised  the  temporary 
occupation  of  the  Old  Town  Hall  as  a  Reference  Library 
until  a  suitable  and  central  site  could  be  found. 
This  authority  has  been  exercised  by  the  Committee, 
who  have  prepared  the  building  for  use  by  fitting  up  the 
first  floor  with  shelving  and  furniture  from  the  Campfield 
Library.  In  furtherance  of  the  plan,  they  removed  the 
wooden  partitions  which  divided  the  large  room  from 
the  Mayor's  Parlour  and  the  Council  Chamber,  and  also 
substituted  glass  for  lead  in  the  three  existing  domes 
over  those  rooms.  The  joiners'  strike,  which  unfortunately 
began  immediately  after  the  permission  of  the  Council 
was  granted,  delayed  the  commencement  of  these 
alterations  for  at  least  six  months.  The  cost  of  the 
alterations,  including  painting  throughout,  has  been 
about  ^980,  with  ^620  additional  for  refitting  of  shelving, 
heating  apparatus,  &c.  This  room  looks  very  grand, 
and  I  dare  say  some  of  you  who  feel  a  deep  interest  in 
the  library  would  like  to  make  this  its  permanent 
home.  Well,  of  course  that  is  a  matter  which  involves 
a  difference  of  opinion  and  some  further  consideration. 
You  know  there  have  been  differences  of  opinion  on 
this  question,  and  it  has  been  my  ill  fortune  to  differ 
with  the  Libraries  Committee,  for  which  1  am  sorr}% 
because  I  never  like  to  differ  with  a  Committee  which  is 
doing  its  work  well.  But  I  have  thought  sometimes 
there  was  too  little  regard  paid  by  this  Committee  to 
the  duty  of  keeping  within  an  expenditure  which  is 
legally  justifiable,  and  I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  remind 
them  of  this  now  and  then.  We  are  lodged  here  now 
for  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  and  I  am  sure  we  all  wish 
that  those  who  use  the  library  should  be  comfortabl}^ 
housed  either  here  or  in  a  building  erected  for  that 
purpose.  I  wish  them  every  happiness  and  enjoyment 
in  it,  and  hope  they  will  derive  from  it  all  those 
advantages  which  are  claimed  for  it.  I  now  beg  to 
declare  that  from  this  day  the  Reference  Library  is 
open  to  the  public. 


THE   REFERENCE  LIBRARY.  119 

Mr.  Chancellor  R.  C.  Christie  said  :  As  I  am  the  first 
person  called  upon  to  address  the  meeting,  I  shall  ven- 
ture to  express,  on  behalf  of  the  public  and  the  citizens 
of  Manchester,  our  very  warmest  thanks  to  the  Cor- 
poration and  the  Committee,  for  having  provided  this 
very  admirable  accommodation  for  what  I  and  a  great 
number  of  other  people  think  is  one  of  the  most 
important  departments  of  the  Corporation.  I  am  glad 
to  be  able  to  say  that  whilst  the  Manchester  Corporation 
yields  to  none  in  the  provision  for  our  material  wants, 
such  as  gas  and  water,  which  some  Corporations  look 
upon  as  their  sole  duty,  they  have  not  been  unmindful 
of  the  necessity  of  providing  for  the  mental  requirements 
of  the  community.  You  have  provided  a  room  which  is 
second  to  none  in  Europe  for  a  library  of  this  sort.  The 
subject  of  libraries  is  one  in  which  I  have  had  some 
personal  experience,  having  visited  every  great  library 
in  Europe,  except  those  of  Russia  and  I  can  say  that 
although  there  are  libraries  larger  than  this  there  are 
very  few  which  have  a  room  for  their  accommodation 
anything  like  this  in  extent.  I  am  quite  certain  I  speak 
the  sentiments  of  a  large  proportion — I  may  say  the 
majority — of  the  citizens  when  I  say  we  heartily  hope 
the  library  will  be  allowed  to  remain  here.  I  was  one  of 
those  who  ventured  to  bring  before  the  Corporation  the 
importance  of  the  library  being  transferred  to  this  building, 
seeing  that  there  must  be  a  change.  Our  request  was 
received  with  that  respect  which  the  Corporation  always 
treats  any  reasonable  request  made  to  them  by  the  citizens, 
and  we  are  glad  to  find,  when  it  was  clearly  and  im- 
partially put  before  them,  that  they  admitted  the  transfer 
to  this  building  would  be  a  proper  course,  whether 
temporarily  or  not  is  another  question.  But  if  there  was 
a  possibility  of  a  doubt  at  that  time  as  to  the  suitability 
of  the  building,  that  doubt  no  longer  exists,  it  is  a 
certainty.  I  have  gone  over  the  rooms  and  I  am  satisfied 
that  no  building  could  be  better  adapted  to  the  purpose, 
unless  you  are  prepared  to  spend  ^50,000  or  ^60,000  in 
building  another  place.  The  great  majority  of  the 
public  libraries  in  Europe  are  placed  in  buildings  which 
were  not  intended  for  them,  but  I  don't  think  that  has 
been  found  on  the  whole  to  be  any  disadvantage.  Whilst 
there  are  special  rooms  required  in  a  great  library,  still 
the  great  feature  to  be  desired  is  a  large  room  like  this. 


[20  THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY. 

It  is  one  of  the  greatest  pleasures  to  me  to  walk  round 
a  room  like  this  and  look  at  the  outside  of  the  books  to 
see  what  they  consist  of.  When  I  have  visited  the  great 
libraries  on  the  Continent  1  have  felt  a  little  ashamed  to 
think  that  if  the  people  of  those  places  were  to  come  to 
Manchester  we  should  not  have  a  Reference  Library  fit 
to  take  them  to.  We  shall  have  no  need  to  feel  ashamed 
of  it  now.  I  rejoice  to  think  you  have  over  50,000 
volumes  here,  and  I  hope  that  number  will  be  doubled 
in  a  few  years'  time,  for  valuable  as  the  library  may  be 
it  is  only  small  in  comparison  with  what  the  library  of  a 
city  like  this  should  be,  or  what  some  continental  cities 
have.  It  is  true  we  have  in  Manchester  another  very 
valuable  free  library,  the  Chetham  Library,  but  I  should 
like  to  see  that  library  and  this  under  one  roof  I  say 
this  in  the  presence  of  a  venerable  and  venerated  mem- 
ber of  the  Chetham  Society,  Mr.  James  Crossley,  who,  I 
hope,  will  lend  his  influence  to  that  object.  I  don't  say 
that  the  Chetham  Library  would  be  better  managed 
under  such  an  arrangement,  but  it  would  be  a  great 
convenience  to  those  who  use  these  libraries,  as  they 
don't  like  to  be  running  about  from  one  part  of  the  city 
to  another  to  consult  certain  books.  In  conclusion  I 
desire  again  to  express  a  very  anxious  hope  that  the 
Reference  Library  may  long  continue  to  occupy  this 
old  municipal  building,  which,  I  am  sure,  even  those 
who  disagree  with  us  would  regret  to  see  turned  to  any 
uses  which  are  not  municipal  or  public. 

Mr.  James  Crossley,  who  was  next  called  upon  b}-  the 
Mayor,  said  : — I  have  lived  a  great  part  of  my  life  in  an 
atmosphere  of  libraries  and  books,  and  I  have  seen  a 
great  number  of  extraordinary  collections  of  books,  but 
I  have  never  been  more  deeply  impressed  on  any 
occasion  than  with  what  I  have  seen  here,  or  looked 
round  me  with  such  entire  satisfaction  as  I  feel  in  look- 
ing at  this  noble  room  with  its  contents.  I  have  long 
had  an  acquaintance  with  this  room  under  a  variety  of 
circumstances  ;  I  have  seen  it  as  a  place  of  meeting  both 
peaceful  and  tumultuous  ;  I  have  seen  it  when  decorated 
with  the  portraits  of  several  of  our  local  luminaries, 
amongst  whom  were  some  surveyors  of  highwa)-s,  who 
seemed  on  the  highway  to  immortality.  lint  all  these 
are  swept  away   by  the  relentless  hand  of  time,  and   I 


THE   REFERENCE  LIBRARY.  121 

must   say   I  never  saw    the    room    so    well    clothed,    or 

the     walls    so    admirably    furnished  ;      indeed,    I    look 

upon    it    as    a     singular    deliverance     that     we    have 

got    here,   for   I   had  begun  to  feel  that  if  the    library 

had     remained     in    the    old    building    we    might    have 

had   a   disaster  which   it  would  not  have  been  pleasant 

to  narrate  in   the    history    of  libraries.      A    gentleman 

rather  heavy    in    his    proportions    might    have    felt    it 

possible  that  his  precise  weight  was  just  the  momentum 

required  to  bring  down  that  ill-fated  building.       That  is 

not  the  case  here,  no  likelihood  of  a  collapse  here  ;    you 

are  as   firm  as  the  foundations  of  Manchester  itself     I 

trust    therefore   we    shall   see    the    library    remain   long 

where  it  is.        In  fact  I  don't  see  how  in  this  room,  with 

all  its  appliances  and  adjuncts,  much  more  can  be  done. 

It  is  excellently  lighted,  the  books  are  in  an  excellent 

state  of  arrangement,  and  we  have  a  chief  librarian  who 

has    not    his    superior    in    the    country,  with   a  staff  of 

experienced  and  able  gentlemen,  who,  I  wish,  could  just 

be  transferred  to  the  British  Museum  to  show  them  how 

to  work  there  as  they  know  how  to  work  here.       But  in 

addition  to  these  advantages  we  have  that  which    no 

library  can  be  considered  complete  without — we  have  an 

admirable    catalogue,    which    is    a    monument    to    the 

Librarian's  credit  and  honour,  which  can   never  be  too 

highly  praised.     It  is  a  model  which  I  wish  to  see  more 

extensively  followed  in  the  country,  and   I  am  glad  to 

hear    the    second   volume  of  it  will  shortly  be    in    the 

hands    of    the    public.       With    all    these    advantages, 

and   this  excellently  adapted   room   in  the  very  centre 

of  Manchester,  I   consider  the  number  of  readers  will  in 

all  probability  be  multiplied  in  an  extraordinar}-  degree. 

When  you  consider  how  much  research  and  quiet  study 

there  is  in  Manchester,  and  how  many  people  there  are 

who  want  an  opportunity  of  referring  to  certain  books,  I 

must  say  that  to  plant  the  library  in  a  central  situation 

is  the  only  way  to  make  it  permanently  useful.     And 

who  that  is  engaged  in  literary  research  does  not  want  a 

library  like  this?    There  is  my  friend  Mr.  Howorth  with 

his  history  of  the  Mongols,  of  which  only  one  volume 

has  been  published  ;    is  it  possible  that  that  giant  labour 

could  have  been  carried  through  without  the  assistance 

of  this  library?      And  when  we  consider  the  number  of 

books  published  from  Manchester,  we  must  see  there  is  a 


22  THE   REFERENCE  LIBRARY. 

demand  for  books  of  reference  by  editors  to  a  large 
extent.  I  believe  more  has  been  done  for  some  years  past 
in  the  illustration  of  early  English  poetical  literature  from 
Lancashire  and  Manchester  than  has  been  done  in  the 
Metropolis  itself  For  all  this  research,  a  Reference 
Library  is  most  essential,  therefore  the  importance  and 
necessity  of  a  library  like  this  cannot  be  too  much 
enlarged  upon.  I  hope  and  trust  it  will  go  on  extending, 
so  that  those  departments  in  it  which  are  not  so  well 
filled  up  as  one  could  wish  may  in  a  very  short  time  be 
placed  on  the  same  footing  as  other  departments  to 
which  large  additions  have  been  made.  When  1  first 
went  to  the  Metropolis  I  was  taken  to  a  place  called  the 
'  Temple  of  the  Muses,'  in  Finsbury  Square,  where  there 
was  an  immense  congeries  of  books  but  without  order, 
symmetry,  classification,  or  proportion.  The  extent  of 
the  walls  covered  with  books  was  such  that  I  could  not 
look  at  them  without  being  immensely  struck,  but  the 
value  of  the  books  was  in  no  way  proportionate  to  the 
bulk.  It  is  quite  different  with  this  Manchester  Temple 
of  the  Muses,  which  I  trust  may  long  maintain  its 
character  for  order  and  arrangement.  A  library  like  this 
is  something  like  the  dedication  of  a  church,  there  would 
seem  to  be  something  immoral  almost  in  altering  or 
transferring  it  elsewhere.  I  hope  the  pilgrims  and 
devotees  to  this  shrine  may  increase  day  by  day  and 
year  by  year,  with  infinite  advantage  to  themselves  and 
to  the  public,  and  with  credit  and  honour  to  the 
Corporation.  I  trust  also  that  amongst  them  there  may 
be  many  who  may  think  it  necessary  to  bring  gifts  and 
offerings  to  the  shrine,  offerings  which  will  add  consider- 
ably to  its  value,  and  which  may  be  recorded  and 
chronicled  by  our  friend  Mr.  Axon  in  a  second  volume 
of  that  most  interesting  work,  TJie  Public  Libraries  of 
Manchester  and  Salford. 

Alderman  Abel  Hey  wood  said :  I  am  glad  to  have  had 
the  opportunity  of  meeting  Mr.  Crossley  here  to-day,  as 
he  is  the  only  person  here  that  I  recollect  seeing  in  this 
room  twenty-seven  years  ago,  as  one  of  a  Committee 
who  had  met  for  the  purpose  of  selecting  books  which 
were  to  form  the  Reference  Library.  On  that  occasion 
Mr.  Crossley  rendered  great  services,  indeed  the  services 
rendered  by  him  to  the  public  of  Manchester  cannot  be 


THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY.  123 

too  highly  estimated.      He  has  always  felt  considerable 
interest  in   the   Reference  Library,  and  the  Corporation 
are  very  much  indebted  to  him  for  many  suggestions  he 
has  made  from  time  to  time.     I  trust  that  whenever  he 
has  the  opportunity  of  acting  upon  the  hint  just  thrown 
out  by  Chancellor  Christie,  as  to  an  amalgamation  of  the 
Chetham  Library  with  this  one,  he  will  throw  the  weight 
of  his  influence  in  favour  of  that  project,  so  that  we  may 
have  a  library  which,  if  not  equal  in  size  to  some  of 
those   which   have  been  referred  to,  may  be  such  as  will 
be  an   honour   to   the  people  of  Manchester.     I  think  I 
am  the  only  member  of  the  Council  at  present  who  was 
on  the  first  Committee  for  the  Free  Libraries,  therefore 
I   feel  some  degree  of  satisfaction  at  the  progress  which 
that  movement   has  made   in    Manchester.     When  the 
first    library    was    established    in     Manchester    it    was 
expected  to  meet  all  the  wants  of  the  community  in  that 
respect  ;  we  had  no  conception  then  that  there  was  so 
soon   to  be  so  great  an  extension  of  cheap  literature  in 
the  country,  much  less  did  we  expect  that  some  of  the 
most  valuable  books  would  be  published  at  a  price  which 
would   enable   working   men  to  obtain  them  for  them- 
selves,  and   form   a  little  library  of  their  own.      Such, 
however,  has  been  the  case,  and  some  of  the  best  books 
which  adorn  the  shelves  of  this  library  may  be  found  in 
the  homes  of  working  men.    I  presume  the  establishment 
of  this  library,  and  others  of  its  kind  in  various  parts  of 
the   country,  has  had   a   most  beneficial  effect  upon  the 
working   men  of  this   country,  and    that,  although  the 
number  of  readers  at  this  library  diminished  last  year,  it 
is  satisfactory  to  know  that  such  diminution  is  accounted 
for  by  the  fears  which  people  had  as  to  the  insecurity  of 
the  building  in  which  it  was  housed,  and  was  not  due  to 
any  waning  interest  in  literary  pursuit.      If  we  had  had 
to  look  for  the  reason  in  other  directions  I  feel  persuaded 
we   should   have   found  one  great  cause  of  it  was  the 
extension  which  has  taken  place  in  the  sale  of  literature 
within   the   last   ten   or  twelve  years.     It  is  a  matter  for 
congratulation,  then,  that  the  establishment  of  libraries 
such   as   this   throughout   the   country,   has    created    an 
influence  and  a  desire  in  the  minds  of  the  people  which 
will  not  be  forgotten  in  the  future  history  of  the  working 
men  of  Manchester. 

Dr.  John  Watts  said  :   Mr.   Crossley  has  told  you  he 


124  THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY. 

never  saw  this  room  better  occupied  or  its  walls  better 
clothed,  and  during  the  time  he  was  speaking  I  have 
observed  an  amazing  improvement  in  it  in  one  particular. 
I  trust  these  shelves  and  books  will  occupy  this  room 
until  at  any  rate  a  better  home  is  found  for  them.  I 
can  understand  the  feeling  of  Mr.  Crossley  on  this 
subject,  from  having  served  with  him  in  the  formation 
of  this  library.  I  remember  him  being  sent  as  a 
messenger  to  London  along  with  Mr.  Edwards  with 
plenary  powers  in  his  pocket,  to  select  books  for  the 
library.  These  books  are,  many  of  them,  his  own 
children,  for  whom  he  has  a  natural  affection,  and  no  doubt 
he  has  many  of  their  twins  in  his  own  house,  indeed  it  is 
possible  many  of  them  are  triplicates,  of  which  the  third 
exists  in  the  Chetham  Library — therefore  I  canwellunder- 
stand  the  affection  with  which  he  looks  round  this  room. 
Another  way  in  which  Mr.  Crossley  rendered  valuable 
services  to  this  library  was  in  the  assistance  he  gave  in 
the  preparation  of  the  first  catalogue.  That  was  not  a 
light  work,  nor  was  it  all  plain  sailing,  for  I  well 
remember  some  very  warm  discussion  on  the  subject, 
between  the  late  Bishop  of  Manchester  and  a  present 
Canon  of  the  Cathedral.  My  connection  with  the 
origin  of  this  library  was  not  important,  although  I 
believe  I  was  the  first  person  consulted  by  Sir  John 
Potter,  and  was  associated  with  my  friend  Mr.  Leigh  as 
the  Honorary  Secretary  up  to  the  birth  of  the  library  in 
Campfield.  1  am  glad  to  be  here  at  the  removal  of  such 
an  increased  body  of  books,  and  I  am  glad  to  hear  that 
we  have  got  to  that  position  that  on  an  average  each 
of  them  comes  down  from  the  shelves  four  times  in  the 
course  of  a  year.  One  cannot  but  think  that  an  amazing 
amount  of  good  must  result  from  this  study,  and  when 
we  remember  that  seventy  or  eighty  Free  Libraries  have 
been  set  up  since  the  Act  was  passed,  one  cannot  help 
feeling  that  the  promoter  of  that  measure  was  one  of  the 
greatest  benefactors  in  this  country.  When  I  came  to 
Manchester  I  came  from  a  rare  old  city  which  was 
without  a  Public  Library,  but  there  was  a  Mechanics' 
Institution  which  had  a  collection  of  1,200  or  1,500 
books.  It  seems  to  me  the  work  of  a  librarian  is 
peculiarly  interesting  and  useful  ;  I  don't  think  you  can 
have  a  man  working  in  a  library  like  this  without  his 
feeling  in  love  with   some  particular   department  in  it. 


THE   REFERENCE  LIBRARY.  125 

making  that  his  own,  and  giving  the  public  the  benefit 
of  his  experience  and  observation.  We  are  spreading 
knowledge  here  to  an  amazing  extent,  and  that  begets  a 
habit  which  grows  into  instinct,  so  that  future  generations, 
from  their  instinct,  learn  more  rapidly  than  those  which 
have  preceded  them,  hence  we  may  say  man  is  a 
progressive  animal.  In  elementary  schools  we  can  only 
give  the  tools,  but  here  is  the  place  where  the  tools  can 
be  put  to  work,  and  where  instinct  can  be  developed  to 
benefit  posterity.  Here  we  have  as  it  were  the  brains  of 
a  large  number  of  good  men,  who,  though  dead,  yet 
speak  to  those  who  will  consult  them.  And  while  the 
frivolities  of  life  are  laid  in  the  grave,  that  which  is 
essential  to  posterity  remains,  and  will  remain  as  long 
as  the  nation  lasts. 

The  Rev.  W.  .\.  O'Conor,  B.A.,  said  :  It  gives  me  great 
satisfaction  to  be  here,  and  I  feel  greatly  honoured  in  having 
been  invited  to  take  a  share  in  this  most  important 
ceremony.  We  must  remember  that  a  Reference  Library 
is  not  to  be  judged  by  the  standard  of  other  libraries  ;  it 
can  only  be  used  for  very  serious  and  laborious  purjjoses, 
for  anything  that  is  done  in  the  literary  way  must  be 
done  by  intense  labour.  i\nything  that  is  worth  reading 
and  answers  to  what  Dr.  Watts  described  must  have 
been  toiled  and  laboured  upon,  therefore  we  must  not 
expect  a  numerous  body  of  readers  coming  here.  If  we 
see  a  few  coming  we  may  rest  satisfied  that  good  work 
is  going  on  ;  angels'  visits  are  {q.\\,  but  they  are  angels' 
visits.  I  trust  those  who  come  here  will  derive  knowledge 
thereby  which  they  will  in  some  way  communicate  to 
others  who  are  hungering  and  thirsting  after  it,  and  thus 
the  blessings  which  such  a  library  confers  may  spread 
through  the  whole  nation. 

The  proceedings  then  closed  with  a  vote  of  thanks  to 
the  Mayor,  proposed  by  Alderman  Murray,  and  seconded 
by  Councillor  Booth. 

The  Reading-room  of  the  Reference  Library  is  ver\- 
handsome  in  appearance,  the  somewhat  inartistic  pro- 
portion between  the  length  and  width  being  broken  and 
relieved  by  two  rows  of  fluted  columns,  and  the  effect 
heightened  by  a  lofty  central  dome  from  which  the  space 


126  THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY. 

devoted  to  readers  is  lighted.  When  first  opened  about 
one  hundred  persons  could  be  seated,  and  the  room  was 
frequently,  especially  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  crowded 
to  excess.  The  first  year's  working  in  the  new  premises, 
1878-9,  showed  an  issue  to  readers  of  173,137  volumes, 
about  600  per  day,  and  being  nearly  three  times  the 
number  issued  during  any  immediately  preceding  year  at 
Campfield. 

The  central  situation  of  the  Reference  Library  and  its 
ready  accessibility  from  every  point,  have  been  the  means 
of  opening  up  its  literary  treasures  to  the  greatest  number 
of  readers,  and  the  constantly-increasing  use  of  its  valuable 
contents  by  the  public  sufficiently  justifies  and  approves 
the  wisdom  of  the  Council  in  transferring  to  the  Libraries 
Committee  a  building  placed  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city 
and  occupying  one  of  its  most  desirable  sites. 

In  May,  1882,  the  accommodation  for  readers  was 
enlarged  to  about  the  extent  of  one-third,  by  the  addition 
of  a  portion  of  the  room  previously  used  for  the  storage  of 
books.  But  in  1887  this  provision  again  became  inadequate, 
owing  principally  to  the  great  and  increasing  use  made  of 
the  directories,  patents,  and  newspaper  files,  and  two 
rooms  on  the  ground  floor  were  formed  and  devoted 
specially  to  those  purposes.  These  were  opened  on  April 
2 1  St,  and  the  library  now  possesses  seats  for  nearly  200 
persons.  Every  improvement  in  accommodation  for  the 
public  has,  however,  been  made  at  the  expense  of  that  for 
the  housing  of  the  books,  until  at  length  the  shelf-space  is 
almost  exhausted  and  there  is  no  possibility  of  extending 
it  in  the  building  as  it  now  exists. 

Much  time  and  thoughtful  consideration  have  been 
bestowed  by  the  Committee  on  the  subject  of  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  present  building,  and  also  on  the  question  of 


THE  DEANSGATE    BRANCH.  127 

the  erection  of  a  new  one,  but  definite  action  on  either 
proposal  has  not  as  yet  been  taken. 

On  July  17th,  1893,  during  the  installation  of  the 
electric  light,  a  fire  was  caused  in  the  central  dome  of  the 
large  reading-room.  Considerable  damage  was  done  to 
the  roof  and  decorations,  but  happily  the  books  received 
no  serious  injury  by  fire  or  water.  Whilst  referring  to  this 
accident  it  may  be  mentioned  that  after  the  disastrous 
fire  on  January  nth,  1879,  which  destroyed  the  Birming- 
ham Free  Library,  including  the  unique  Shaksperian 
— cattectiDTT,  the  Manchester  Free  Libraries  Committee 
manifested  their  sympathy  with  the  people  of  Birmingham 
by  presenting,  with  the  consent  of  the  Council,  278 
volumes  and  1,600  pamphlets  towards  the  formation  of 
the  new  library.  These  were  duplicate  works,  but  many 
of  them  were  rare,  or  otherwise  valuable. 

THE   DEANSGATE   BRANCH. 

When  in  1877  the  original  home  of  the  Public  Libraries 
in  Campfield,  was  so  unceremoniously  closed,  the  books  of 
the  lending  department  were  also  removed  with  those  of 
the  Reference  Library,  and  stored  in  the  old  Town  Hall. 
There  they  remained  for  four  years.  In  the  meantime  the 
old  building  and  site  were  sold  to  the  Markets  Committee 
of  the  City  Council,  and  an  arrangement  was  made  in  con- 
junction with  that  Committee,  to  erect  on  a  site  fronting 
Deansgate,  a  suitable  building  which  should  serve  for  the 
library,  and  also  as  an  improvement  of  the  Market 
entrance.  Designs  prepared  by  Mr.  Geo.  Meek,  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  John  Allison,  the  City  Surveyor, 
were  adopted.  The  elevations  are  classic  in  style, 
carried  out  in  stock  bricks,  with  stone  cornices,  columns, 
panels,  and  other  dressings.  The  ground  floor  consists  of 
shops,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  Deansgate  facade  is  a  wide 


128  THE   DEANSGATE   BRANCH. 

entrance  to  the  New  Market,  above  which  is  a  curved 
pediment  filled  in  with  figures  in  high  relief  representing 
Commerce,  supported  by  Peace  and  Industry,  flanked  by 
figures  representing  Trade.  To  the  right  of  this  is  the 
entrance  to  the  library,  consisting  of  a  handsome  doorway 
having  semi-circular  head  carried  on  stone  columns  with 
carved  caps.  This  gives  admission  to  an  entrance  hall, 
tastefully  inlaid  with  coloured  tiles,  from  which  a  broad 
staircase  leads  to  the  apartments  forming  the  library  and 
reading  rooms.  On  the  walls  of  the  staircase  are  hung  a 
number  of  pictures,  and  above  the  door  leading  to  the 
private  rooms  of  the  library  is  placed  a  marble  tablet 
recording  the  names  of  those  who  constituted  the 
committee  at  the  opening  of  the  institution.  The  chief 
room  is  very  lofty,  and  measures  72j"e£t  in  length  by  54 
feet  wide.  It  is  lighted  principally  from  the  roof,  which  is 
supported  by  light  iron  columns,  but  there  are  also 
windows  on  the  side  facing  Deansgate.  These  windows 
have  been  made  double  in  order  to  prevent  annoyance 
from  the  street  traffic.  This  fine  apartment,  which  presents 
on  entrance  a  most  striking  appearance,  affords  ample 
accommodation  for  the  newsroom  and  library.  The 
library  is  in  the  newsroom,  and  its  work  is  conducted 
therein,  but  some  separation  has  been  made  by  a  screen 
6  feet  6  inches  high  and  a  counter.  The  screen  and  book- 
shelves are  of  pitch  pine,  the  reading  stands  and  counter  of 
mahogany,  and  the  tables  of  oak.  The  floor  is  laid  with 
indiarubber  matting  where  required.  The  walls  of  the 
newsroom  are  hung  with  autotypes  and  engravings 
taken  from  the  paintings  of  some  of  the  most  eminent 
artists,  both  ancient  and  modern,  and  forming  a  fairly 
representative  collection.  Opposite  to  the  newsroom  is 
the  boys'  reading  room,  similar  in  style,  but  considerably 
smaller,  being  50  feet  by  36  feet.     It  will  accommodate 


THE  DEANS  GATE   BRANCH.  129 

100  boys,  and  is  provided  with  a  collection  of  books 
specially  for  their  use.  The  total  cost  of  the  library, 
including  fittings,  was  i^i2,ooo.  The  library  was  opened 
by  a  public  meeting  being  held  within  its  walls,  on  April 
5th,  1882,  Alderman  Thomas  Baker,  at  that  time  Mayor 
of  Manchester  and  Chairman  of  the  Libraries  Committee, 
presided. 

The  Mayor,  who  was  received  with  loud  applause, 
said :  The  branch  free  library  we  have  now  met  to 
inaugurate  is  the  successor  of  one  which  has  an  historical 
celebrity.  The  lending  library  at  Campfield  was  the 
first  lending-out  library  in  Manchester.  I  do  not  find 
in  the  accounts  of  the  proceedings  connected  with  its 
establishment  that  it  was  even  then  called  a  branch 
library,  nor  do  I  know  that  it  was  at  that  time  regarded 
as  only  the  first  of  many  future  similar  lending  libraries. 
Its  doors  were  opened  in  September,  1852,  with  5,300 
volumes,  and  this  number  went  on  increasing  until  it 
amounted  to  18,500  in  1877,  when  the  building  in  which 
they  were  placed  gave  way,  and  they  had  to  be  removed 
elsewhere  for  safe  custody.  This  failure  of  the  building 
involved  the  erection  of  another,  and  was  so  far  a  great 
loss,  but  its  situation  was  at  a  distance  from  the  centre  of 
business,  and  was  consequently  somewhat  inconvenient 
of  access,  while  the  inherent  defects  of  the  structure  were 
so  great  and  so  serious  that  I  never  regarded  its  removal 
as  a  very  grievous  calamity.  The  shelving  space  in  the 
room  in  which  the  lending  books  were  stored  was 
insufficient,  and  the  room  itself  was  low,  and  being  used 
as  a  news  and  reading-room,  it  could  never  be  sufficiently 
ventilated  though  every  means  were  taken  to  remedy 
the  evil.  The  committee  always  felt  that  they  were 
working  under  difficulties,  and  that  the  numerous 
complaints  which  were  made  in  the  newspapers  and 
elsewhere  were  substantially  true.  When  the  library 
was  closed  the  committee  entered  upon  the  consideration 
of  a  new  library,  with  the  advantage  of  a  long  and 
somewhat  unpleasant  experience.  In  the  first  instance, 
they  did  not  contemplate  a  building  either  so  large  as 
that  in  which  we  are  now  assembled  or  in  so  public  a 
situation,  but  the  Markets  Committee  of  the  Corporation 
having  possessed  themselves  of  this  plot  of  land,  because 

T 


I30  THE  DEANSGATE   BRANCH. 

it  was  contiguous  to  their  market  and  fronting  to  one  of 
the  main  streets  of  the  city,  and,  as  they  needed  only  the 
ground  floor,  negotiations  were  opened  with  them  which 
terminated  in  the  Free  Libraries  Committee  becoming 
the   owners   of  the   whole   of  the    second    floor  of  this 
building  and  all  above  it.     The  committee  believe  that 
in  this  structure  they  have  avoided  all  the  evils  of  the 
old  one.     As  far  as  they  can  judge,  they  have  ample 
room,  most  excellent  ventilation,  and  a  situation  second 
to  none  in  this  great  city.     The  books  now  upon  the 
shelves  are  substantially  those   of  the   old    Campfield 
Lending   Library,   except  that  the  old,  worn-out   ones 
have   been  removed,  and   more   than   2,000  volumes  of 
new    books     have     been     substituted,    making     18,000 
volumes    to    be    lent    to    applicants    free    of    charge. 
The  reading-room  will  be  provided  with  all  the  important 
newspapers  of  the  day  and  a  great  number  of  periodicals. 
Manchester  was  the  first  town  in  England  to  make  the 
experiment    of   a    Free    Lending    Library    under    the 
Libraries  Act,  and  it  has  carried  out  that  experiment  to 
a  most  successful  issue.     This  good  work  has  been  com- 
municated over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land,  and 
I  believe  that  in  a  few  years  there  will  not  be  any  town 
of  importance  in  England  without  its  free  library.     It  is 
admitted  now  that  free  libraries  are  a  necessity,  that  they 
carry  knowledge  and  its  humanising  influences  to   the 
firesides    of    the    poor,    and    that    they    make    such    a 
provision  for  instruction  that  no  honest  effort  after  self- 
culture  need  now  fail.       The  Corporation  of  Manchester 
are  worthy  of  all  praise  for  their  arrangements  for  the 
supply  of  gas  and  water,  for  good  and  cleanly  roads,  for 
their  efforts  to  remove  nuisances  and  infectious  diseases 
from  our  midst,  and  for  their  supervision  of  the  general 
welfare  of  the  city  ;    but  I  am  disposed  to  think  after  all 
that    the    Free    Libraries,    comprising    the    Reference 
Library   with  its  70,000  volumes,  and    the    six  branch 
libraries,  are  the  most  noble  public   institutions   which 
Manchester  possesses,  and  that,  great  as  is  the  work  of 
the  Corporation  in  other  respects,  if  it  be    true,   as    I 
believe  it  is,  that  nine-tenths  of  the  pauperism  and  crime 
from  which  society  suffers  arise  from  causes  which  men 
may  themselves  avert,  there  can  be  no  nobler  or  higher 
effort  than  that  of  giving  the  people  free  access  to  those 
fountains  of  knowledge  from  which  they  may  learn  how 


THE   DEANSGATE    BRANCH.  131 

to  conduct  themselves  so,  not  simply,  as  to  avoid  these 
evils  and  relieve  the  community  of  their  consequent 
expense  and  disgrace,  but  so  as  to  bring  into  use,  I 
would  say  so  as  to  bring  into  every  day  use,  those 
moral  and  intellectual  faculties  which  are  the  greatest 
safeguards  against  idleness  and  crime.  There  is  only 
one  other  point  to  which  I  would  refer.  The  people  are 
every  day  becoming  more  and  more  the  depositaries  of 
political  power.  If  this  power  is  to  be  exercised  with 
judgment  they  must  not  only  be  educated,  but  have  the 
means  of  acquainting  themselves  with  what  is  going  on 
in  the  Legislature  and  elsewhere,  and  of  knowing  what 
measures  well-informed,  enlightened,  and  experienced 
men  consider  to  be  best  calculated  to  preserve  the  well- 
being  of  the  State.  These  sources  of  knowledge  are 
offered  them  in  the  branch  libraries  free  of  cost,  and  the 
monthly  returns  made  to  the  Committee  show  how 
greatly  the  people  avail  themselves  of  the  information. 
In  the  month  of  March  last  there  were  151,000  visitors 
to  the  newsrooms  of  the  several  branch  libraries  in 
Manchester.  These  visitors  all  went  there  to  read  the 
newspapers  mainly  ;  and  as  the  Houses  of  Parliament 
were  sitting,  every  day's  newspapers  would  contain  some 
political  information,  so  that  it  may  be  presumed  that 
all  these  readers  were  educating  themselves  for  the 
discharge  of  their  political  duties.  Now  that  this 
branch  library  is  opened  this  number  will  be  greatly 
increased.  I  declare  this  library  to  be  open,  and  I 
trust  that  the  means  of  instruction  which  it  offers  may 
be  fully  and  freely  used  by  all  the  people  of  the  district 
in  whose  midst  it  is  located. 

Mr.  James  Crossley,  who  was  received  with  applause, 
said  he  always  regarded  his  early  connections  with  the 
free  library,  before  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Corporation  of  Manchester,  as  one  of  the  most  agreeable 
passages  of  his  life.  The  gentleman  who  undoubtedly 
originated  the  movement  was  his  excellent  friend  Sir 
John  Potter,  and  when  he  commenced  to  make  the 
necessary  preliminaries  he  called  him  to  his  counsels  and 
said,  '  If  you  will  find  the  books  I  will  find  the  money., 
He  need  not  say  that  of  the  two  the  money  was  much 
more  diflficult  to  find,  and  that  it  did  not  involve  any 
particular  degree  of  care  or  attention  to  do  the  part  that 
he  took  in  the  matter,  which  was  a  most  pleasant  under- 


132 


THE  DEANSGATE  BRANCH. 


taking.  He  had  the  gratification  of  going  up  to  London 
with  the  provisional  Hbrarian,  Mr.  Edwards,  to  buy  the 
books  which  constituted  the  original  nucleus  of  the 
library,  and  which  were  sufficient  to  induce  the  Corpora- 
tion to  set  to  work  according  to  the  free  libraryenactments. 
He  well  remembered  all  the  episodes  connected  with  it, 
and  he  should  never  forget  that  meeting  at  which  most 
inspiriting  speeches  were  made  by  some  of  the  first 
literary  men  of  the  day.  Certainly  those  speeches  were 
very  interesting,  some  of  them  very  eloquent,  and  there 
was  one  who  was  even  more  eloquent  by  his  silence 
than  by  anything  that  he  said,  and  that  was  William 
Makepeace  Thackeray.  He  seemed  to  have  some 
glimpse  of  what  the  library  would  come  to,  and  it 
actually  made  him  speechless. 

Visions  of  glory,  spare  my  aching  sight, 

these,  he  supposed,  were  before  him  ;  at  all  events  he  got 
up  but  could  net  go  on,  and  that,  in  a  great  master  of 
the  English  language,  was  a  rather  extraordinary 
occurrence.  He  need  not  refer  to  the  progress  of  the 
librar}'  after  it  came  into  the  hands  of  the  Corporation. 
That  was  before  them,  and  there  were  certain  points 
which  they  must  take  for  granted.  He  supposed  it  was 
an  admitted  fact  which  was  distinctly  proved  that  free 
libraries  were  a  necessity,  and,  therefore,  any  words  to 
show  their  utility  would  be  perfectly  superfluous.  That 
part  of  the  grand  scheme  which  took  in  the  lending 
libraries  was,  of  course,  one  of  its  most  essential  points. 
He  remembered  a  predecessor  of  the  present  Mayor 
whose  sympathies  were  strongly  excited  in  favour  of 
those  thirsty  souls  who  passed  along  the  streets  of  Man- 
chester, and  who  wanted  fountains  of  living  water  to  ^ 
quench  their  thirst.  But  there  was  an  intellectual  thirst 
which  was  quite  as  important,  perhaps  much  more  so, 
than  even  the  physical  thirst,  and  it  had  been  ministered 
to  in  a  very  great  measure  by  the  six  lending  libraries 
attached  to  the  Manchester  Reference  Library.  When 
he  considered  the  facilities  now  afforded,  as  contrasted 
with  those  of  former  days,  the  change  seemed  almost 
magical,  because  he  remembered  what  was  the  state 
of  the  case  in  1816,  when  he  came  to  Manchester, 
and  the  difficulties  that  a  young  man  who  was 
omnivorous    and    desirous    of  reading    laboured    under 


THE  DEANSGATE  BRANCH.  133 

in  getting  the  books  he  wanted.  When  he  came  to 
Manchester  if  he  had  seen  what  he  now  saw,  and  had 
the  opportunities  that  were  now  presented,  he  should 
not  have  envied  the  son  of  a  king.  The  change  which 
had  taken  place  since  18 16,  in  regard  to  free  libraries,  he 
looked  upon  as  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  things 
that  had  happened.  Of  course  there  was  then  the 
Chetham  Library,  which  was  a  very  valuable  library  for 
more  advanced  students,  but  for  the  works  of  the  day, 
unless  they  had  shares  in  the  Portico  or  one  or  two  other 
libraries,  they  had  to  go  to  the  smaller  lending  libraries, 
where  the  charge  was  3d.  for  duodecimos,  and  4d.  for 
octavos,  and  in  a  larger  degree  for  larger  books.  He 
need  not  say  that  every  boy  was  not  a  Croesus,  and  that 
the  threepences  multiplied  into  rather  larger  sums  than 
were  at  all  agreeable.  But  now  things  were  completely 
altered.  Young  men  of  the  present  day  had  their 
intellectual  food  supplied  to  them  in  really  palatial 
edifices  ;  they  had  everything  brought  to  them  ;  they  had 
merely  to  say  what  they  wanted,  and  they  could  take  a 
book  home,  study  it,  and  bring  it  back  again.  When  he 
looked  round  he  began  to  wonder  where  the  young  man 
was  whose  name  was  so  frequently  used  in  former  days, 
and  that  was  the  '  pursuer  of  knowledge  under  diffi- 
culties.' He  failed  at  the  present  time  to  see  where  the 
difficulties  were.  The  only  difficulties  that  he  knew  of 
were  those  attached  to  the  collector  of  books,  who  in 
consequence  of  his  family  of  books  being  too  large  could 
not  keep  them  under  any  subordination  or  control  ;  they 
were  always  playing  at  hide  and  seek,  and  when  a 
member  of  the  family  was  wanted  it  could  not  be  found. 
Of  course  they  might  have  a  remedy  if  every  man  who 
was  a  large  collector  of  books  had  in  his  establishment 
a  duplicate  Mr.  Sutton  like  his  friend  the  chief  librarian 
at  the  Reference  Library,  but  Mr.  Suttons  were  rarely  to 
be  met  with,  and  he  feared  the  collectors  must  be  left  to 
struggle  with  their  peculiar  difficulties  without  much 
sympathy  from  the  public.  When  all  those  opportunities 
were  afforded  it  was  necessary  to  consider  to  whom  they 
were  in  a  great  measure  due.  They  were  indebted  for  the 
successful  working  of  the  free  libraries  to  the  Corporation 
of  Manchester,  and  he  would  say  this,  that  on  whatever 
ground  the  Corporation  might  be  attacked — and 
very  few  Corporations  which  had  large  duties  to  perform 


134  THE   DEANSGATE   BRANCH. 

were  free  from  attack — it  would  never  be  on  the  score 
of  their  administration  of  the  Free  Libraries  Act.  On 
that  point  they  were  safe  and  secure,  he  would  say, 
invulnerable  ;  and  he  thought  it  was  the  unanimous 
voice  of  the  citizens  of  Manchester  that  a  great  debt  of 
gratitude  was  due  to  them  for  the  opportunities  they 
had  afforded,  and  for  the  mode  in  which  that  Act  had 
been  worked.  He  could  not  conclude  his  remarks 
without  referring  to  the  catalogue  of  the  Reference 
Library  in  King  Street,  which  had  now  been  completed 
and  issued  to  the  public.  The  value  of  it  ought  to  be 
known  as  extensively  as  possible.  The  library  contained 
70,000  very  excellently  selected  volumes,  many  of  which 
were  of  the  greatest  value,  but  a  library  without  a 
printed  catalogue  was  actually  worth  little  or  nothing, 
and  unfortunately  good  printed  catalogues  were  the 
grand  desiderata  of  the  great  libraries  in  this  country. 
He  did  not  hesitate  to  say  that  no  such  catalogue  of  any 
English  or  foreign  libraries  that  he  knew  of  had  been 
issued  to  the  public  during  the  same  period  as  that  of 
the  Manchester  Reference  Library.  And  when  any 
person  looked  at  the  volumes,  he  would  see  at  once 
upon  the  least  degree  of  examination  the  patient  care 
and  the  well  adapted  system  with  which  the  books  had 
been  catalogued.  He  looked  upon  it  as  a  great  honour 
and  triumph  that  Manchester  should  have  produced 
these  three  volumes  which  were  so  useful,  and  which 
made  the  contents  of  the  library  so  valuable  as  the}-- 
now  are. 

Councillor  James  Croston  said  many  of  them  he  dare 
say  might  have  thought  at  times  that  the  Libraries 
Committee  were  a  little  indifferent  to  their  interests,  and 
a  little  dilatory  in  making  proper  provision  for  their 
wants,  but  he  thought  after  what  had  been  done  they 
would  be  of  opinion  the  Corporation  acted  wisely  in  not 
carrying  out  the  first  intention  of  rebuilding  on  the  site 
of  the  old  structure,  but  had  availed  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  afforded  b}-  the  Markets  Committee  to  give 
them  that  commodious  and  handsome  room.  There 
were  those  who  believed  it  might  be  a  question  whether 
it  was  wise  to  place  knowledge  within  the  reach  of  the 
masses  of  the  community.  He  rejoiced  to  think  that 
in  this  matter  Qreat  strides  had  been  made.     The  State 


THE  DEANSGATE  BRANCH.  135 

had  recognised  its  responsibilities,  and  had  admitted  its 
obligations  to  provide  education  for  every  child  within 
the  realm,  and  the  free  library  system  carried  on  the 
work  where  the  school  authorities  left  off.  As  the  Mayor 
had  told  them,  a  large  amount  of  political  power  was  in 
these  days  left  in  the  hands  of  the  masses,  and  there  was 
therefore  a  still  greater  reason  why  they  should  have  the 
opportunity  of  being  instructed  in  matters  affecting  the 
general  weal,  and  he  was  glad  to  think  that  in  the 
libraries  now  established  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  the 
means  were  placed  at  the  very  doors  of  the  people  by 
which  they  might  obtain  information,  instruction,  and 
amusement  upon  almost  every  conceivable  subject.  He 
looked  upon  the  lending  libraries  as  the  feeders  of  the 
Reference  Library,  which  he  considered  an  institution 
which  Manchester  had  probably  greater  reason  to  be 
proud  of  than  any  other  which  it  possessed. 

He  ventured  to  believe  that  anything  that  tended  to 
humanise  and  civilise  the  people  was  a  subject  that 
ought  not  to  be  beneath  the  notice  of  those  entrusted 
with  the  management  of  local  affairs.  He-  believed  that 
such  provision  would  have  a  humanising  and  civilising 
influence,  and  as  it  tended  to  make  men  happier,  so  it 
would  make  them  better  citizens  and  better  subjects.  A 
distinguished  philosopher  had  once  told  them  that  he 
wished  the  barriers  between  man  and  man,  between  rank 
and  rank,  were  not  so  harsh  and  high  and  thorny,  but 
that  they  should  be  a  kind  of  sunk  fence,  sufficient  to 
draw  the  line  of  demarcation  between  one  and  another, 
and  yet  such  that  the  smile  of  gladness  and  the  voice  of 
cheerfulness  might  pass  over  and  be  felt  and  heard  on 
the  other  side.  And  when  he  visited  the  libraries  and 
saw  men  of  every  rank  and  station — the  professional 
man  and  the  artisan,  the  pale-visaged  student  and  the 
horny-handed  son  of  toil — sitting  side  by  side  storing 
their  minds  from  the  wealth  of  knowledge  thus  provided, 
he  could  not  but  think  the  philosopher's  hopes  were  being 
realised,  that  they  were  drawing  closer  heart  to  heart, 
and  mind  to  mind,  and  lessening  those  disparities  of 
social  rank  that  were  a  hindrance  to  the  free  communica- 
tion of  thought.  The  library  system  was  commenced  in 
Manchester,  and  they  were  proud  of  it,  and  in  no  city  or 
town   in  the  kingdom  had  it  been  carried  out  with  so 


136  SUNDAY  OPENING. 

much  public  spirit,  energy,  and  success  as  in  this  great 
workshop  of  the  world.  Manchester  was  now  looked  up 
to  as  the  guide  and  instructor  to  other  parts  of  the 
country. 

After  votes  of  thanks,  the  proceedings  terminated. 

SUNDAY   OPENING. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  City  Council  on  July  3rd, 
1878,  a  Memorial  was  presented  by  the  Mayor  from  the 
Manchester  and  Salford  Sunday  Society,  and  the  following 
is  a  copy  thereof. 

To  the  Mayor,  Aldermen,  and  Councillors  of  the  City 
of  Manchester. 

The  Memorial  of  the  Manchester  and  Salford  Sunday 
Society  showeth  that  your  Memorialists  appreciate  very 
highly  the  benefits  conferred  upon  the  district  by  the 
Municipal  Institutions  devoted  to  Science,  Art,  and 
Lirerature. 

Your  Memorialists  are  of  opinion  that  the  time  has 
now  come  when  these  advantages  might  judiciously 
be  extended  by  opening  Reading  Rooms,  Reference 
Libraries,  and  Museums  on  Sunday  afternoons  and 
evenings,  under  such  conditions  as  may  be  deemed 
reasonable. 

Your  Memorialists  would  point  to  the  parallel  case  of 
the  Public  Parks,  which  have  for  many  years  been  open 
with  infinite  advantage  and  without  any  of  the  evils  so 
confidently  predicted  by  the  opponents  of  Sunday 
opening  in  that  case. 

Your  Memorialists  most  respectfully  urge  upon  those 
who  are  the  trustees  of  the  public,  that  Libraries, 
Museums,  and  Art  Galleries  can  only  be  regarded  as 
instruments  for  the  promotion  of  intellectual  and  moral 
well-being  and  as  agencies  opposed  to  ignorance  and 
vice  ;  and  that  it  is  therefore  of  the  highest  importance 
that  they  should  be  made  available  on  the  only  day 
when  large  sections  of  the  community  can  benefit  by 
them. 

Your  Memorialists  further  urge  their  strong  conviction 
that  the  Sunday  opening  of  these  Institutions  would 
prove  a  powerful  safe-guard  against  dissipation  caused 
by  enforced  idleness  and  the  temptations  of  the  public- 


SUNDAY    USE    OF    THE    LIBRARIES. 


Lending  Librji 

RIES 

Reading  Rooms                 1 

Reference 
Library 

Dale 

Deansgate 

Hulme 

Chorlton 

Ancciats 

RocMale 
Road 

Cheetham 

Newton 
Heath 

Rusholme 

Longsight 

Gorton 

Openshaw 

Moston 

Harpiirhey 

Bradford 

Hyde  Road 

Chester 
Road 

Crumpsall 

Totals. 

If 

J 

If 

1 

< 

i 

If 

i 

> 

Jf 

n 

1 

> 

If 

1 

> 

if 

J 

t| 

> 

n 

> 

If 

J 

J| 

1 

it 

1 
1 

il 

> 

If 

< 

i 
1 

< 

j 

If 

1 

> 

n 

1 
> 

n 

iS7Sy 

6975 

134 

=8733 

572 

38498 

740 

15540 

300 

'3789 

265 

22091 

425 

125626 

2436 

1 879-80 
iSSo-l 

8039 
8451 

■52 
162 

J 

1 

30964 
27676 

584 
532 

39941 
21268 

850 
409 

1676s 
12350 

322 

247 

17316 
.8600 

326 
358 

178.4 
.895. 

336 
387 

.30S39 
.07296 

2570 
2095 

lSSl-2 

8310 

177 

7612 

346 

24410 

479 

23947 

470 

Il6u 

228 

18557 

364 

22427 

440 

116S74 

2504 

1882.3 

9>54 

176 

30JS7 

584 

21530 

439 

23339 

449 

.3286 

256 

19S56 

3S2 

25529 

491 

.4308. 

2777 

.883-4 

97'9 

187 

33372 

642 

22275 

428 

21537 

449 

14654 

305 

22483 

432 

2.78. 

4.9 

.4582. 

2862 

1884-5 

9142 

.76 

33241 

665 

22535 

433 

21715 

426 

■7379 

334 

22655 

436 

2.013 

404 

.47680 

2874 

18S5.6 

9379 

177 

334>8 

655 

24002 

480 

21787 

411 

,558s 

294 

23827 

486 

20931 

427 

Sr 

1 

.48932 

29.30 

1SS6.7 

8673 

180 

3^893 

613 

26325 

506 

22717 

437 

13928 

268 

27112 

52. 

22421 

43. 

1 

7472 

249 

3786 

126 

'64327 

333. 

1887-8 

9030 

■77 

33168 

650 

22.64 

435 

2.010 

412 

14114 

277 

25994 

510 

22562 

442 

n 

S 

13916 

273 

9387 

.84 

3272 

.9: 

.746.7 

2903 

1SS8.9 

7692 

148 

29537 

568 

22385 

439 

.7788 

37' 

13497 

281 

23353 

449 

2.853 

420 

K 

I 

14376 

293 

10195 

204 

12999 

250 

.73675 

2676 

18S9-90 

7778 

149 

2S642 

585 

20030 

409 

.854. 

357 

'3375 

257 

20317 

4.5 

20459 

418 

« 

s 

15224 

293 

7564 

145 

13.52 

253 

1650S2 

328. 

1890-1 

7"3 

142 

31121 

598 

20769 

399 

19281 

371 

12560 

242 

210S8 

406 

24459 

470 

15615 

300 

5684 

109 

1 1759 

240 

169449 

3277 

1S91-2 

9342 

176 

31724 

599 

201.6 

380 

.9082 

382 

1.894 

=38 

22193 

4.9 

22534 

425 

8.44 

166 

1978 

.04 

.093 

156 

.5.85 

297 

6980 

'36 

.400. 

264 

.84266 

3742 

1892-3 

9022 

■77 

26936 

573 

18379 

391 

.S945 

37. 

"316 

.990. 

423 

.9806 

388 

86S0 

185 

8579 

168 

9026 

177 

.4674 

288 

5505 

106 

.1934 

234 

'82703 

3703 

■893-4 

S50. 

164 

27471 

528 

23509 

452 

20295 

390 

11555 

222 

2.865 

420 

1S558 

387 

.0616 

204 

12659 

243 

13103 

252 

4419  245 

3957 

439 

13577 

266 

5310 

102 

'2444 

254 

4549 

198 

2.2448 

4766 

1894-5 

9919 

190 

26556 

511 

2346S 

451 

.90.4 

366 

.2.96 

249 

22033 

423 

190.0 

366 

10672 

205 

12326 

237 

13425 

258 

•1523 

220 

.38.8 

266 

12314  24. 

4717 

.24 

12325 

237 

.0779 

207 

234095 

455. 

1895-6 

10398 

200 

24358 

507 

230S8 

444 

.S692 

359 

.147. 

221 

20393 

392 

.7829 

343 

10.76 

.96 

11405 

2.9 

.3080 

252 

10743 

207 

11735 

226 

12254  236 

6228 

.20 

11693 

225 

10749 

224292 

4354 

1896-7 

10779 

203 

34808 

657 

24572 

464 

20806 

393 

12531 

236 

20147 

3S0 

15909 

300 

10695 

202 

10667 

201 

•3769 

260 

11647 

224 

I3i4^ 

248 

.3'24 

248 

7024 

133 

12625 

238 

9933 

.9. 

242.77 

457S 

9431 

31134 

599 

24787 

476 

204S8 

394 

12144 

248 

23867 

459 

192S0 

371 

954. 

.83 

..402 

2.9 

14223 

274 

11695 

225 

12474 

239 

■'341 

222 

5345 

107 

12362 

23S 

10644 

205 

4429 

■85 

244587 

4725 

Tolals.. 

176907 

- 

495378 

Jl 

471717 

- 

44869. 

- 

267754 

- 

425346 

- 

415217 

- 

68524 

- 

69016 

- 

77719 

- 

50027 

- 

55125 

- 

- 

■59072 

- 

77725 

- 

.28566 

- 

46654 

- 

4429 

- 

3437867 

- 

SUNDAY  OPENING.  137 

house  and  be  a  valuable  auxiliary  to  the  works  of  the 
Church,  the  Chapel,  and  the  Sunday  School. 

Signed    on    behalf  of  the    Manchester    and    Salford 
Sunday  Society. 

Henry  H.  Howorth,  Chairman. 

Against  this  proposal  forty  memorials  were  presented 
to  the  Council  emanating  from  the  ratepayers  and  from 
various  religious  bodies,  and  one  in  its  favour  signed  by 
1,776  persons.  The  subject  was  debated  somewhat 
warmly  at  three  successive  Council  meetings,  and  on  the 
final  division  there  was  a  majority  of  eight  only  in  favour 
of  the  opening  of  the  libraries  on  Sundays.  The  Com- 
mittee at  once  gave  effect  to  the  decision  of  the  Council 
and  on  Sunday,  September  St^A^^TS^yall  the  libraries 
were  opened  at  two  o'clock,  and  remained  open  until 
nine  o'clock.     This  arrangement  continues  unaltered. 

Whatever  opinion  may  be  held  as  to  the  propriety  or 
advantage  of  opening  these  institutions  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  weighty  arguments  may  be  brought  to  bear  on  both 
sides  of  the  question,  it  is  clear  from  the  accompanying 
table  that  the  people  will  make  use  of  the  privilege  if  it  be 
granted  unto  them.  Since  the  reading-rooms  were  thrown 
open  they  have  been  visited  3,437,867  times  by  the  public, 
and  the  present  average  is  about  4,700  visits  each 
Sunday.  The  literature  used  mainly  consists  of  news- 
papers and  periodicals,  but  few  books  being  asked  for 
except  in  the  Reference  Library,  and  is  not  therefore  of  the 
highest  or  most  valuable  class.  Still,  if  by  this  means 
some  men  and  women  are  kept  from  frequenting  places 
of  less  healthy  resort,  that  important  object — the 
suppression  of  evil — which  all  good  folk  have  at  heart 
will  in  a  measure  have  been  attained. 

boys'  rooms. 
Another  very  important  extension  was  made  in  1878. 
The  number  of  boys  who  assembled  in  the  several  reading- 


LE^ 

Reference 
Library 

Date 

Deansgate 

Hulme 

Chorlton 

Ancoats 

Rochdale 
Road 

0 
> 

2 

11 

'3. 

< 

i 

2 

^1 

1 
•5; 

> 

1S7S-9 

6975 

134 

28733 

572 

38498 

740 

15540 

300 

13789 

26s 

1879-80 

8039 

152 

1 

8 

30964 

584 

39941 

850 

16765 

322 

17316 

326 

1880- I 

8451 

162 

U 

u 

27676 

532 

21268 

409 

12350 

247 

18600 

355 

1881-2 

8310 

177 

7612 

346 

24410 

479 

23947 

470 

11611 

228 

18557 

36. 

1S82-3 

9154 

176 

30387 

584 

21530 

439 

23339 

449 

13286 

256 

19856 

382 

1883-4 

9719 

187 

33372 

642 

22275 

428 

21537 

449 

14654 

305 

22483 

432 

1884-5 

9142 

176 

33241 

665 

22535 

433 

21715 

426 

17.379 

334 

22655 

436 

1885-6 

9379 

177 

33418 

655 

24002 

4S0 

21787 

411 

15588 

294 

23827 

48f 
521 

1886-7 

8673 

I  So 

3 '893 

613 

26325 

506 

22717 

437 

13928 

268 

27112 

1S87-8 

9030 

177 

33168 

650 

22164 

435 

21010 

412 

14114 

277 

25994 

51S 

188S-9 

7692 

148 

29537 

568 

22385 

439 

17788 

371 

13497 

281 

23353 

44< 

1SS9-90 

7778 

149 

28642 

585 

20030 

409 

18541 

357 

13375 

257 

20317 

41! 

1890-1 

7113 

142 

31121 

598 

20769 

399 

19281 

371 

12560 

242 

21088 

4oe 

1891-2 

9342 

176 

31724 

599 

201 16 

380 

19082 

382 

11894 

238 

22193 

41C 

1892-3 

9022 

'77 

26936 

573 

18379 

391 

18945 

371 

11316 

222 

1 990 1 

42.' 

J893-4 

8561 

164 

27471 

528 

23509 

452 

20295 

390 

"555 

222 

21865 

42c 

1894-5 

9919 

190 

26556 

511 

23468 

451 

19014 

366 

12196 

249 

22033 

42: 

1895-6 

10398 

200 

24358 

507 

23088 

444 

18692 

359 

11471 

221 

20393 

392 

1896-7 

10779 

203 

34808 

657 

24572 

464 

20806 

393 

12531 

236 

20147 

38c 

1897-8 

9431 

181 

31134 

599 

24787 

476 

20488 

394 

12144 

248 

23S67 
425346 

45? 

1 

Totals.. 

176907 

- 

495378 

- 

471717 

- 

448691 

- 

267754 

— 

SUNDAY  OPENING. 


137 


house  and  be  a  valuable  auxiliary  to  the  works  of  the 
Church,  the  Chapel,  and  the  Sunday  School. 

Signed    on    behalf  of  the    Manchester    and    Salford 
Sunday  Society. 

Henry  H.  Howorth,  Chairman. 

Against  this  proposal  forty  memorials  were  presented 
to  the  Council  emanating  from  the  ratepayers  and  from 
various  religious  bodies,  and  one  in  its  favour  signed  by 
1,776  persons.  The  subject  was  debated  somewhat 
warmly  at  three  successive  Council  meetings,  and  on  the 
final  division  there  was  a  majority  of  eight  only  in  favour 
of  the  opening  of  the  libraries  on  Sundays.  The  Com- 
mittee at  once  gave  effect  to  the  decision  of  the  Council 
and  on  Sunday,  September  8th'^,^i^70  all  the  libraries 
were  opened  at  two  o'clock,  and  remained  open  until 
nine  o'clock.     This  arrangement  continues  unaltered. 

Whatever  opinion  may  be  held  as  to  the  propriety  or 
advantage  of  opening  these  institutions  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  weighty  arguments  may  be  brought  to  bear  on  both 
sides  of  the  question,  it  is  clear  from  the  accompanying 
table  that  the  people  will  make  use  of  the  privilege  if  it  be 
granted  unto  them.  Since  the  reading-rooms  were  thrown 
open  they  have  been  visited  3,437,867  times  by  the  public, 
and  the  present  average  is  about  4,700  visits  each 
Sunday.  The  literature  used  mainly  consists  of  news- 
papers and  periodicals,  but  few  books  being  asked  for 
except  in  the  Reference  Library,  and  is  not  therefore  of  the 
highest  or  most  valuable  class.  Still,  if  by  this  means 
some  men  and  women  are  kept  from  frequenting  places 
of  less  healthy  resort,  that  important  object — the 
suppression  of  evil — which  all  good  folk  have  at  heart 
will  in  a  measure  have  been  attained. 


boys'  rooms. 
Another  very  important  extension  was  made  in  1878. 
The  number  of  boys  who  assembled  in  the  several  reading- 


138 


BOYS'   ROOMS. 


rooms  in  the  evening  caused  so  much  inconvenience  to 
grown-up  readers  as  to  suggest  the  desirability  of  pro- 
viding separate  accommodation  specially  for  them,  and  a 
room  was  accordingly  prepared  for  them  at  Ancoats,  and 
opened  each  afternoon  at  five  o'clock,  remaining  open 
until  nine  o'clock  This  action  was  a  revival  of  that  taken 
at  Campfield  in  1862,  to  meet  the  like  exigency,  but  which 
had  been  for  many  years  discontinued.  The  room  was  so 
largely  used  that  similar  rooms  have  since  been  provided 
in  each  of  the  branch  libraries. 

The  following  table  shows  the  use  which  has  been 
made  of  these  rooms  up  to  the  present  time  : — 

USE  OF  BOYS'  ROOMS  SINCE  THEIR  ESTABLISHMENT. 


Number 

of 
Rooms 
Open 

Week-days 

Sundays 

Date 

Visitors 

Daily 
Average 

Visitors 

Daily 
Average 

1877-8 

I 

21424 

77 



_ 

1878-9 

2 

76835 

256 

— 

— 

1879-80 

2 

89334 

314 

— 

— 

1 880- 1 

3 

1370S0 

456 

36208 

701 

1881-2 

4 

148025 

524 

42468 

888 

1882-3 

4 

162566 

552 

51815 

1013 

1883-4 

5 

218616 

822 

66329 

1430 

i 884-5 

5 

238004 

785 

77555 

1507 

1885-6 

6 

269160 

968 

89193 

1798 

1886-7 

6 

259399 

874 

91405 

1758 

1887-8 

7 

293^50 

1079 

100695 

2159 

1888-9 

7 

321158 

1105 

1 15245 

2259 

1889-90 

8 

315647 

1112 

11975S 

2422 

1890- 1 

8 

293612 

992 

1 14524 

2224 

1891-2 

II 

325338 

1300 

121471 

2533 

1892-3 

II 

320160 

1 120 

10S592 

2206 

1893-4 

14 

362301 

1507 

124063 

2927 

1894-5 

14 

374266 

1292 

135650 

2665 

1895-6 

14 

42707S 

1500 

131364 

2623 

1896-7 

14 

464261 

1608 

136736 

2645 

1897-8 

14 

472678 

1579 

13S026 

2694 

Totals  ... 

- 

5590092 

~ 

I 80 I 097 

- 

BOYS'    KOOAIS.  139 

The  Boys'  Rooms  are  each  provided  with  about 
500  volumes  carefully  chosen  for  their  suitability  to  the 
class  of  lads  who  are  likely  to  use  them,  and  a  selection  of 
equally  suitable  periodicals.  During  the  winter  months 
they  are,  throughout  the  whole  evening,  crowded  with  lads, 
busily  engaged  in  assimilating  the  literature  provided  for 
them.  There  can  hardly  be  a  more  pleasing  and 
suggestive  sight  than  is  presented  by  any  one  of  these 
rooms,  with  its  bright  lighting,  its  busy  and  helpful  female 
attendants,  and  its  crowd  of  readers  eager  for  amusement 
or  instruction.  And  the  boys  themselves  are  of  that  age 
and  class  which  it  is  most  desirable  to  influence  for 
good.  Many  of  them  are  children  of  parents  whose 
poverty  draws  them  perilously  near  to  the  borderland  of 
crime,  but  they  are  still  too  young  to  have  crossed  that 
border  themselves.  It  is  just  such  boys  as  these  whom  it 
is  essential  to  detach  from  vicious  companions,  and  to 
surround  with  every  possible  influence  that  can  tend  to 
moral  and  social  improvement,  if  they  are  to  be  made  into 
useful  men  and  good  citizens,  and  rescued  from  absorption 
into  the  pauper  and  criminal  classes. 

THE    ENGLISH    DIALECT   AND   OTHER   SOCIETIES. 

Among  the  donations  to  the  Reference  Library  in 
1878,  were  the  libraries  of  two  local  Societies,  the  English 
Dialect  Society,  and  the  Manchester  Statistical  Society. 
Fifty-five  volumes  and  some  pamphlets,  many  of  them 
rare  works,  were  received  from  the  English  Dialect 
Society,  who  afterwards  printed  at  their  cost  a  catalogue 
not  only  of  their  own  collection,  but  of  the  whole  of  the 
books  on  English  dialects  contained  in  the  Reference 
Library.  A  very  important  addition  to  the  English 
Dialect  Library  was  made  in  August,  1887,  when  Mr.  J. 
R.  Wise  presented  his  extensive  collection  to  the  English 


I40  THE  ENGLISH  DIALECT  SOCIETY. 

Dialect  Society.  Mr.  Wise's  collection  numbered  over 
150  volumes,  besides  a  number  of  pamphlets,  and  many  of 
the  works  contained  annotations  principally  concerning 
the  Warwickshire  dialect  in  which  Mr.  Wise  was  interested. 
It  is  worthy  of  record  that  the  English  Dialect  Library 
has  been  very  extensively  used  by  workers  on  Professor 
Wright's  English  Dialect  Dictionary.  The  library  of  the 
Manchester  Statistical  Society  consisted  of  248  volumes 
and  loi  pamphlets.  Special  conditions  were  agreed  upon 
for  the  transference  of  these  libraries,  those  made  with 
the  English  Dialect  Society  being  as  follows: 

1.  All  books  deposited  by  the  English  Dialect  Society 
in  the  Reference  Library  shall  be  kept  together  and  be 
called  '  The  English  Dialect  Collection  '  the  Free 
Libraries  Committee  undertaking  to  keep  them  in 
good  repair  as  to  binding. 

2.  The  Free  Libraries  Committee  will  make  a 
manuscript  catalogue  of  the  books,  which  shall  be  at  all 
times  open  to  the  inspection  of  readers ;  such  books  shall 
also  be  included  in  the  Reference  Library  Catalogue. 

3.  The  public  shall  have  the  right  of  using  such  books 
on  the  same  conditions  as  the  other  books  in  the 
Reference  Library. 

4.  Members  of  the  English  Dialect  Society  shall  have 
the  right  on  presentation  of  an  order  from  the  Secretary 
or  Treasurer  of  that  Society  to  take  out  of  the  library 
for  home  perusal,  for  such  time  as  may  be  agreed  on, 
any  book  so  deposited  by  the  English  Dialect  Society, 
the  borrower  of  such  book  shall  be  responsible  for  its 
preservation  and  return. 

5.  On  the  dissolution  of  the  English  Dialect  Society 
these  books  shall  become  the  absolute  property  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee  who  will  keep  them  together 
as  theretofore,  and  allow  them  to  be  used  in  all  respects 
as  the  other  books  in  the  library. 

A  similar  agreement  was  entered  into  with  the  Man- 
chester Statistical  Society  with  the  addition  that  the 
Society  should  extend  its  system  of  exchanges  with  other 
statistical  societies,  and  that  it  should  make  additions  of 


THE   BAILEY  SHORTHAND    COLLECTION.  141 

books  to  the  library  from  time  to  time  "  due  regard  being 
taken  to  avoid  unnecessary  duplicates  of  books  already 
in  the  Reference  Library." 

In  1 88 1  the  Manchester  and  Salford  Sanitary  Asso- 
ciation presented  its  library,  numbering  about  75  volumes 
and  50  pamphlets,  and  the  Vegetarian  Society,  in  1888, 
followed  these  examples  by  sending  its  collection  of 
works  on  vegetarianism,  hygiene,  and  temperance  to  the 
Reference  Library  on  similar  terms  to  those  already 
detailed.  This  collection,  which  then  numbered  over  a 
hundred  volumes  and  nearly  a  thousand  pamphlets,  and 
has  since  received  frequent  additions,  includes  some  of  the 
rarest  of  the  early  works  on  vegetarianism. 

THE  BAILEY  SHORTHAND  COLLECTION. 
Amongst  the  most  valuable  gifts  of  special  collections 
of  books  which  the  library  has  received  were  two  of  those 
formed  by  Mr.  John  Eglington  Bailey  and  sold  after  his 
death  in  1889.  These  were  his  library  of  works  on  Short- 
hand, and  the  various  editions  of  the  writings  of  Dr. 
Thomas  Fuller  he  had  acquired  when  writing  his  Life  of 
that  worthy.  The  Shorthand  Collection  was  purchased 
and  presented  by  Councillor  Henry  Boddington,  of 
Manchester,  and  the  Fuller  collection  by  Messrs.  Taylor, 
Garnett  &  Co.,  the  proprietors  of  the  Manchester  Guardian. 
The  Fuller  library  comprises  copies  of  nearly  every  edition 
of  the  many  works  of  the  author  of  the  Worthies  of 
England,  besides  books  by  other  writers  of  the  name  of 
Fuller,  and  a  selection  of  portraits  and  engravings  illus- 
trating the  life  of  the  famous  divine.  It  also  includes  a 
copy  of  Mr.  Bailey's  Life  of  Fuller,  with  many  additions, 
made  with  a  view  to  a  new  edition,  together  with  a  number 
of  transcripts  of  interesting  documents  and  other  manu- 
script  notes.     The   following  account  of  the  Shorthand 


142  THE   BAILEY   SHORTHAND    COLLECTION. 

Collection  is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  Ernest  Axon,  Assistant 
Librarian  in  the  Reference  Library. 

The  Bailey  Shorthand  Collection  consists  of  over  700 
bound  volumes,  including  almost  all  the  shorthand 
systems  that  have  been  published  or  used  in  England, 
from  Bright  to  the  present  time.  Of  Dr.  Timothy 
^. Bright's  CJiaracterie :  An  Arte  of  Shorte,  Swifte,  and 
Secrete  Writing  by  Character,  1588,  well-known  as  the 
first  English  shorthand,  and  so  scarce  that  only  one 
copy,  that  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  is  known,  Mr.  Bailey 
possessed  a  transcript.  Dr.  Bright  was  a  Yorkshireman, 
and  a  clergyman  and  physician.  Another  clergyman, 
John  Willis,  B.D.,  was  author  of  the  Art  of  StenograpJiie, 
the  twelfth  edition  of  which  in  the  Bailey  Collection,  is 
almost  unique,  no  copy  being  known  to  Dr.  Westby- 
Gibson  when  he  compiled  his  exhaustive  Bibliography 
of  Shorthand.  Edmond  Willis  is  represented  by  the 
second  edition  of  his  Abbreviation  of  Writing  by  Character. 
Thomas  Shelton's  Tachygraphy,o(  \Nh.\ch.  Mr.  Bailey  had 
the  1 64 1  edition,  was  an  important  work  in  its  day,  and 
after  the  fashion  of  the  time,  the  author  prefixed  to  this 
edition  commendatory  verses — some  of  them  marked  by 
fulsome  adulation — from  various  of  his  students.  What 
would  be  thought  if  a  book  of  the  nineteenth  century 
were  to  be  heralded,  as  Shelton's  TacJiygraphy  was,  in  the 
following  lines,  signed  by  Nath.  Mason,  of  Gonville  and 
Caius  College  ? — 

TO  THE  AUTHOUR. 

Why  should  I  praise  thy  Art  in  writing,  when 
Thy  art  and  praise  surmounts  the  praise  of  men  ; 
For  if  thy  way  of  writing  had  been  showne 
To  ages  past,  Printing  had  ne're  beene  knowne, 
Nor  the  invention  sought  or  valued  ;  when 
The  Presse  can  scarcely  overrunne  thy  Pen  : 
So  that  what  honour's  due  unto  the  Quill, 
Or  glory  unto  those  that  have  the  skill 
In  faire  Orthographic,  their  titles  stand 
As  pages  to  attend  upon  thy  hand. 

Two  of  Jeremiah  Rich's  pretty  little  volumes,  2 14  by 
I  yo,  inches,  are  in  the  collection,  as  is  also  the  anonymous 


THE  BAILEY   SHORTHAND    COLLECTION,  143 

first  edition  of  the  Mercury,  or,  the  Secret  and  Szuift 
Messenger,  showing  how  a  man  may,  xvith  privacy  and 
speed,  comnncnicate  his  thoughts  to  a  friend  at  any  distance 
(1641).  This  was  written  by  John  Wilkins,  Cromwell's 
brother-in-law,  who,  after  the  Restoration,  became 
Bishop  of  Chester,  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Royal 
Society.  The  second  edition  of  the  Mercury,  dated 
1694,  has  the  author's  name.  William  Mason,  a  short- 
hand teacher  in  London,  was  author  of  a  system  which 
was  much  used  in  the  seventeenth  and  early  in  the 
eighteenth  centuries.  There  are  here  several  of  his 
works,  including  his  earliest,  A  Pen  Phick'd 
from  an  Eagle's  Wing  (1672),  and  Arts  Advancement 
(1682).  To  the  latter  is  prefixed  an  engraved  portrait 
of  the  author,  and  underneath  appears  the  following 
lines,  from  the  pen  of  '  S.  W.,'  which  show  the  rivalry 
that  existed  then,  as  now,  between  authors  of  different 
systems  : — 

Let  Shelton,  Rich,  and  all  the  rest  go  down, 
Bring  here  your  Golden  Pen  and  Laurel  Crown, 
Great  Mason's  nimbler  Quill  outstrips  ye  Winde, 
And  leaves  ye  Voyce,  almost  ye  Thoughts  behind. 
In  vain  may  Momus  snarl ;  He  scares  on  high, 
Praise  he  Commands,  and  Envy  does  defie. 

When  we  consider  that  Mason's  system  was  partly 
hieroglyphic  and  required  an  immense  amount  of  memory 
work  to  be  of  any  use,  this  praise  certainly  seems  to 
border  on  exaggeration.  Peter  Annet,  a  native  of 
Liverpool,  is  represented  by  the  whole  of  his  shorthand 
books  ;  and  John  Byrom,  of  Manchester,  by  four  copies 
of  his  posthumous  tfniversal  EnglisJi  Shorthand  (1767), 
and  by  numerous  variations  and  improvements  by 
Molineux,  Gawtress,  and  others.  The  whole  of  the 
different  editions  of  the  Polygraphy  of  Aulay  Macaulay, 
the  Saint  Ann's  Square,  Manchester,  tea  dealer,  are  in 
the  collection,  and  the  other  local  systems  are  here  in 
more  or  less  completeness.  Amongst  them  may  be 
mentioned  the  Stenography  printed  at  Poughnill,  in  1S06, 
by  George  Nicholson,  previously  of  Manchester,  and 
remembered  as  one  of  the  promoters  of  cheap  and  well- 
got-up  books,  and  also  as  an  uncompromising  advocate 
of  a    non-flesh    diet.     In  the  Rudiments  of  Shorthafid, 


144  THE  BAILEY   SHORTHAND    COLLECTION. 

by  Thomas  Andrews  (1744),  we  have  a  book  that  has 
hitherto  escaped  record  by  bibliographers.  Another 
unrecorded  and  stillborn,  but  pretentious  work  is  The 
World's  J eivel;  or,  the  Oxford  Book  of  Shorthand  {ly^g), 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Smart,  who,  unlike  his  prede- 
cessors of  the  previous  century,  were  content  to  have 
their  systems  puffed  by  their  friends,  preferred  to  do  the 
puffing  himself  On  his  title-page  is  found  the  following 
modest  verse  : — 

Go  forth,  my  little  book,  and  loudly  tell, 
If  you've  an  equal,  none  can  you  excel : 
Of  this,  with  justice,  truly  you  may  boast. 
All  purchase  learning,  cheaply,  at  my  cost. 
Here's  time  well  spent, — who  ever  in  it  looks, 
Aloud  proclaims — This  is  the  book  of  books  ! 

Will  it  be  believed  that  the  '  book  of  books  '  contains 
only  36  duodecimo  pages?  Gurney,  Mavor,  Pitman, 
and  all  the  modern  attempts  also  find  a  place  in  the 
Bailey  Collection.  Useless  systems  are  sandwiched 
between  systems  that  have  done  excellent  service  even 
if  they  are  now  forgotten  by  all  but  those  who,  like 
the  late  collector  of  this  library,  find  few  things  so  inter- 
esting as  old  books.  A  portion  of  Mr.  Bailey's  shorthand 
library  consisted  of  manuscripts  written  in  shorthand, 
amongst  which  may  be  named  a  beautiful  manuscript 
entitled,  A  Choice  Selection  of  Prose  and  Poetry,  and 
written  in  shorthand  by  Peter  Robey,  at  Mr.  Birchall's 
School,  Manchester,  in  1818  ;  letters  from  Cambridge, 
by  Richard  Clowes,  brother  of  the  well-remembered 
rector  of  St.  John's,  Manchester  ;  and  several  volumes 
of  the  works  of  Dr.  Philip  Doddridge.  Mr.  Boddington's 
gift  makes  the  Manchester  Free  Library  collection  of 
books  on  shorthand  one  of  the  finest  in  the  world. 


THE    HAZLITT   COLLECTION. 

The  most  recent  presentation  of  a  special  collection  of 
books  is  that  made  by  Mr.  Thomas  Read  Wilkinson,  for 
many  years  the  manager  of  the  Manchester  and  Salford 
Bank,  He  addressed  the  following  letter  to  Alderman 
Harry  Rawson,  then  Chairman  of  the  Libraries  Committee. 


THE   HAZLITT  COLLECTION.  145 

The  Polygon,  Ardvvick, 

September  5th,  1895. 
Dear  Alderman  Rawson,— When  the  late  Alexander 
Ireland  died,  and  his  effects  were  dispersed,  I  purchased 
a  collection  of  books  which  he  highly  valued,  and  which 
had  occupied  many  years  of  his  life  in  gathering  together. 
The  collection  comprises  Hazlitt's  works,  and  those  of 
Leigh  Hunt,  Emerson,  Carlyle,  and  Charles  Lamb, 
numbering  about  360  volumes.  There  are  also  various 
manuscripts,  including  the  original  manuscript  of  Mrs. 
Ireland's  Life  of  Jane  Welsh  Carlyle.  I  wish  to  present 
this  collection,  with  the  bookcase  which  holds  it,  to  my 
native  city,  and  I  venture  to  express  the  hope  that  it 
may  be  kept  together  in  the  City  Library  as  a  memorial 
of  our  late  dear  old  friend  and  citizen  Alexander  Ireland. 
Yours  sincerely, 

T.  R.  Wilkinson. 

Besides  a  large  quantity  of  pamphlets,  letters,  reviews, 
and  other  cuttings,  and  some  unpublished  material  the 
collection  consisted  of  86  volumes  of  the  writings  of 
William  Hazlitt,  104  of  those  of  J.  H.  Leigh  Hunt,  83  of 
Thomas  Carlyle,  48  of  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  and  38 
of  Charles  Lamb.  Mr.  Wilkinson  also  commissioned  the 
Chief  Librarian  to  purchase  at  his  charge  any  books  or 
documents  not  included  in  the  collection  and  relative  to 
its  subjects,  which  might  from  time  to  time  be  obtainable. 
In  drawing  attention  to  this  valuable  and  unique  gift  in 
the  Council  Alderman  Rawson  said  : 

The  gift  is  one  of  peculiar  interest.  The  books  will 
lend  distinction  to  the  collection  of  the  Corporation,  and 
will  supply  amusement  and  instruction  to  generations  of 
readers.  The  donor  is  a  well-known  citizen,  himself  not 
unpractised  in  the  art  of  facile  and  graceful  expression. 
The  collection  comprises  360  volumes  of  the  works  of  a 
group  of  writers  distinguished  for  their  acumen  as  critics, 
their  ingenious  theories  of  art  and  letters,  and  their 
profound  teachings  in  philosophy  and  morals.  Their 
names  would  always  be  associated  with  the  history  of 
our  literature,  which,  he  believed,  for  variety,  value,  and 
extent,  had  no  equal  either  in  ancient  or  modern  times. 


146  THE   GIPSY   COLLECTION. 

These  volumes  were  collected  during  a  long  course  of 
years  by  their  late  esteenned  friend  and  citizen  Mr.  Alex. 
Ireland,  the  Editor  of  the  Manchester  Examine}'  and 
Times,  who  was  remarkable  alike  for  culture  and 
urbanity.  He  had  a  familiar  and  extensive  knowledge 
of  the  writings  of  Hazlitt  and  Lamb,  of  Coleridge,  and 
Carlyle,  and  of  Emerson,  and  enjoyed  the  personal 
friendship  of  several  of  them.  Special  reference  was  due 
to  the  manuscript  of  the  Life  of  Jane  Welsh  Carlyle,  by 
Mrs.  Ireland,  whose  literary  acquirements  were  of  no 
ordinary  kind.  I  feel  sure  that  the  Council  will 
sympathise  with  the  pleasure  which  this  exceedingly 
valuable  addition  to  the  treasures  of  the  library  has 
been  received  by  the  Committee,  and  will  unite  with 
them  in  a  cordial  acknowledgment  of  Mr.  Wilkinson's 
generosity. 

THE  GIPSY  COLLECTION. 
About  this  time  the  Committee  purchased  a  remark- 
able and  rare  gathering  of  books,  pamphlets,  and  manu- 
scripts relative  to  the  gipsies  which  had  been  accumulated 
by  Mr.  Paul  Bataillard,  of  Paris.  The  following  description 
of  this  collection  is  also  the  work  of  Mr.  Ernest  Axon. 

The  Bataillard  collection  contains  the  principal  books 
relating  to  the  gipsies,  but  it  is  especially  rich  in 
pamphlets,  many  of  which  are  now  scarce,  and  prac- 
tically unobtainable.  Nearly  all  the  works  in  the 
collection  have  been  annotated  by  the  late  owner,  a 
leading  student  of  the  gipsy  and  his  lore,  and  in  many 
cases  very  elaborate  tables  of  contents  have  been  made, 
which  will,  of  course,  render  the  collection  very  useful 
to  the  student.  To  attempt  to  give  a  list  of  all  the 
works  in  the  collection  would  occupy  considerable  space, 
for  it  contains,  perhaps,  four  or  five  hundred  pieces, 
ranging  from  works  in  several  volumes  to  pamphlets  of  a 
few  pages,  and  to  short  articles  taken  from  magazines, 
newspapers,  and  encyclopaedias.  Of  the  principal  works 
may  be  mentioned  editions  in  German,  French,  and 
English  of  Grellmann's  Historisclicr  Versuch  iiber  die 
Zigenner,  which,  though  over  a  hundred  years  old, 
remains  the  only  attempt  at  a  full  history  of  the  gipsy 
race.       The  French  edition  of  Grellmann  is  interleaved, 


THE   GIPSY  COLLECTION.  147 

and  is  most  elaborately  annotated  by  M.  Bataillard. 
Grellmann  may  be  regarded  as  the  founder  of  the 
modern  study  of  gipsy  lore.  He  was  not  the  first  writer 
on  the  subject,  for  this  collection  contains  a  number  of 
pamphlets  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries, 
but  he  was  the  first  who  studied  the  gipsies  scientific- 
ally, and  he  concentrated  into  his  history  practically 
all  that  was  known  of  them  at  the  time  he  wrote. 
Of  his  successors  who  have  really  added  to  our 
knowledge  of  the  gipsies,  there  have  been  surprisingly 
few.  Among  those  who  have  made  real  advances, 
M.  Bataillard  himself  takes  high  rank.  The  collection 
includes  the  whole  series  of  his  pamphlets.  In  the 
earlier  of  these  he  elaborated  Pott's  theory  of  the 
identity  of  the  gipsies  with  the  Indian  tribe  of  Jats,  who 
went  to  Persia  about  420  A.D.,  and  were  afterwards 
dispersed  over  Asia  and  Europe.  In  his  later  works  M. 
Bataillard  saw  reason  to  reject  this  theory  of  gipsy  origin. 
His  later  opinion  was  that  the  gipsies  had  existed  in 
Europe  from  immemorial  times,  a  conclusion  to  which 
he  was  led  by  the  absence  of  any  record  of  their  passage 
across  the  Bosphorus,  by  their  enslaved  condition  in 
Wallachia  in  the  fourteenth  century,  by  casual  notices  of 
their  presence  in  Europe  at  a  still  earlier  date,  and  by  their 
present  monopoly  of  the  metallurgical  arts  in  south- 
eastern Europe.  Bataillard's  later  theory  also  included 
the  attribution  to  the  gipsies  of  the  spread  of  a  know- 
ledge of  bronze  among  the  Neolithic  races  of  Europe. 

Of  works  relating  to  the  gipsies  in  England  and 
Scotland  M.  Bataillard  had  made  almost  a  complete 
collection,  aided  not  a  little,  as  many  inscriptions  show, 
by  our  townsman  Mr.  H.  T.  Crofton,  himself  one  of  the 
leading  authorities  on  the  subject.  Of  English  writers, 
the  best  known  is  perhaps  George  Borrow,  whose  works, 
which  relate  both  to  the  English  and  Spanish  Gipsies, 
have  all  the  charm  of  romances.  Borrow's  last  work 
was  called  Romano  lava  /z7,  a  word  book  of  the 
English  Gipsy  language.  Mr.  C.  G.  Leland  has  also 
written  a  number  of  works  on  the  gipsies,  which  from 
their  style  appeal  not  only  to  students  of  the  gipsies,  but 
to  a  much  larger  circle  of  readers.  In  the  late  Dr.  Bath 
Smart  and  Mr.  H.  T.  Crofton,  Manchester  can  boast 
of  two  writers  whose  works  are  extremely  valuable  to 
gipsiologists.     Their  Dialect  of  the  English  Gipsies  is  the 


148  THE    GIPSY  COLLECTION. 

Standard  work  on  the  subject.  The  Scottish  Gipsies 
have  not  been  neglected.  They  figure  in  several  of 
Scott's  novels,  and  the  Yetholm  Gipsies  have  had  quite 
a  number  of  books  devoted  to  them.  Some  of  the 
English  writers  on  the  gipsies  have  been  interested,  not 
in  the  ethnology  or  philology  of  the  gipsies,  but  in  the 
very  difficult  problem  of  converting  them  to  Christianity. 
The  Rev.  James  Crabb,  who  appears  to  have  been  the 
first  to  conceive  the  possibility  of  their  conversion, 
wrote  the  Gipsies  Advocate,  and  devoted  some  years  of 
his  life  to  his  thankless  task.  A  society  was  formed, 
and  some  of  its  publications  are  in  the  collection. 
Though  not  primarily  intended  to  aid  ethnologists  this 
phase  of  gipsy  study  produced  books  which  contain 
incidentally  much  of  value  to  the  student.  The  late 
Geo.  Smith,  of  Coalville,  was  an  enthusiast  for  the  moral 
elevation  of  the  gipsies  and  his  entertaining  books  are 
also  here.  An  always  interesting  if  somewhat  incoherent 
writer,  Mr.  James  Simson,  edited  a  so-called  History  of 
the  Gipsies,  which  is  by  far  the  best  book  on  the  Scottish 
Gipsies,  and  he  has  written  a  number  of  pamphlets  to 
prove  that  John  Bunyan  was  a  gipsy,  and  that  the  gipsy 
element  in  the  British  population  is  much  greater  than 
is  generally  supposed.  The  curious  Ancient  and  modern 
Britons  and  Scottish  Gipsies  under  the  Stuarts,  both  by 
Mr.  MacRitchie,  and  the  excellent  Journal  of  the  now 
unfortunately  extinct  Gipsy  Lore  Society  should  not 
escape  mention.  Naturally  foreign  writers  are  well 
represented,  Paspati  on  Turkish,  Liebich  on  the  German, 
Vaillant  on  the  Roumanian,  Sundt  on  the  Norwegian, 
and  Ascoli  on  the  Italian  gipsies,  are  all  included.  The 
privately  printed  Czigdny  Nyelvtan  by  the  Archduke 
Joseph,  was  presented  by  the  author  to  M.  Bataillard 
and  contains  the  latter's  scholarly  notes.  A  very 
interesting  series  of  works  on  the  Transylvanian  Gipsies 
by  Heinrich  von  Wlislocki  is  included.  Some  scarce 
articles  contributed  to  various  Dutch  almanacs  fifty 
years  ago,  and  Dirk's  Der  Heidens  inde  Noodelijke 
Nederlanden  will  be  useful  for  the  study  of  the  gipsies 
in  the  Netherlands.  It  may  be  added  that  M.  Bataillard 
did  not  disdain  to  add  to  his  collection  romances  and 
plays  in  which  gipsies  figured.  The  newspaper  cuttings 
are  very  numerous,  and  the  collection  also  contains 
several    albums    of  photographs,    both    of    gipsies    and 


ANDREA    CRESTADORO.  149 

writers  on  the  gipsies.  Besides  these  there  is  a  small 
collection  of  combs,  bells,  and  other  articles  manufactured 
by  gipsies. 

Catalogues    of    these    various    special    libraries    and 
collections  have  been  prepared  and  are  kept  in  print. 


ANDREA    CRESTADORO,   THIRD    LIBRARIAN. 

After  a  brief  illness  Mr.  Crestadoro,  the  third  Chief 
Librarian,  died  on  7th  April,  1879.  Andrea  Crestadoro 
was  born  at  Genoa  in  1808,  was  educated  at  the  public 
school  there,  and  afterwards  entered  the  University  of 
Turin  where  he  graduated  Ph.D.  Soon  afterwards  he  was 
appointed  a  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  in  the 
University,  and  whilst  thus  engaged  produced  some 
pamphlets  on  social  economy  and  cognate  topics,  among 
them  being  Saggio  cT  instituzioni  siilla  facolta  della  parola 
and  a  treatise  on  Savings  Banks  in  which  he  advocated 
their  introduction  into  Italy.  Turning  his  attention  to 
the  study  of  English  he  acquired  a  sound  theoretical 
knowledge  of  the  language  and  translated  into  Italian  a 
considerable  portion  of  Bancroft's  History  of  America 
which  was  published.  Visiting  England  in  1849,  he  found 
British  institutions  so  much  to  his  liking  that  he  remained 
in  this  country  and  became  a  naturalised  British  subject. 
Being  fond  of  mechanical  experiments  and  possessing  an 
ingenious  mind  he  busied  himself  during  his  early  years 
in  this  country  with  a  number  of  inventions.  Whilst 
resident  in  Salford,  in  1852,  he  obtained  letters  patent  for 
"  Certain  Improvements  in  Impulsoria,"  and  other  patents 
were  granted  to  him  in  1862,  1868,  and  1873.  His 
"Impulsoria"  patent  was  meant  to  facilitate  and  lessen 
animal  labour  without  superseding  it,  and  the  method  of 
obtaining  this  desirable  advantage  consisted  of  the 
introduction  of  an  animal  walking  on  an  endless  artificial 


I50  ANDREA    CRESTADORO. 

ground,  and  thus  transmitting  power  to  the  driving  wheels 
— in  short,  of  turning  a  horse  into  a  turnspit.  His 
favourite  study  was  aerial  navigation,  and  one  of  the 
patents  he  took  out  was  for  "  Improvements  in  the  means 
and  apparatus  for  Navigating  the  Air."  A  model  of  a 
"  Metallic  Balloon "  constructed  in  accordance  with  his 
theories  was  shown  at  the  aeronautical  exhibition  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  London,  in  June,  1868,  and  a  description 
of  it  was  printed. 

The  failure  of  his  patents  led  him  to  undertake 
bibliographical  work,  and  he  became  employed  by  Messrs. 
Sampson  Low  &  Co.  on  the  compilation  of  the  British 
Catalogue  and  the  Index  to  Currefit  Literature.  The  latter 
contained  references  to  all  articles  of  importance  in 
periodicals  and  in  the  more  valuable  newspapers  and 
extended  over  the  years  1859-61.  This  work  led  him  to 
frequent  the  British  Museum  and  he  was  naturally  attracted 
to  the  problem  then  agitating  the  public  mind  of  the 
compilation  and  printing  of  the  catalogue  of  that  institu- 
tion. Li  an  ingenious  treatise  on  the  Art  of  viaking 
Catalogues  his  ideas  for  the  solution  of  that  and  other 
cataloguing  difficulties  were  expounded,  and  they  were 
afterwards  utilised  in  the  compilation  of  the  catalogues  of 
the  Manchester  Free  Libraries.  The  "index  catalogues" 
which  he  originated  have  been  found  eminently  serviceable 
for  displaying  the  contents  of  free  libraries,  and  have  been 
largely  adopted  as  models  by  the  municipal  libraries  of 
the  Kingdom. 

Dr.  Crestadoro's  pamphlet  published  in  Paris  in  1861 
with  the  title  Du  Pouvoir  temporel  et  de  la  Souverainete 
Pontificale  is  a  concise  treatise  on  the  mechanism  of 
government,  and  is  said  to  have  suggested  to  Cavour  and 
Menabrea  the  possibility  of  a  modns  vivendi  between  the 
Papacy  and  the  Kingdom  of  Italy.     Attending  the  Social 


ANDREA    CRESTADORO.  151 

Science  Association's  Meeting  at  Cheltenham  in  1878,  he 
there  read  a  paper  entitled  On  the  best  and  fairest  viodc  of 
raising  the  Public  Revenue  advocating  therein  the  abolition 
of  all  indirect  taxes,  and  the  raising  of  the  requisite 
supplies  by  a  single  direct  contribution  which  "  ought  to 
come  out  of  the  use  of  property,  and  not  directly  out  of 
property,"  though  the  brochure  was  published  both  in 
English  and  French,  the  scheme  must  have  been  either 
too  original  or  too  revolutionary,  for  it  did  not  receive  the 
attention  or  serious  consideration  which  its  cleverness 
and  merits  deserved.  In  the  same  year  he  was  created  a 
Knight  of  the  Crown  of  Italy,  an  order  founded  on  the 
attainment  of  Italian  unity.  A  work  on  the  management 
of  joint-stock  companies  was  left  in  manuscript,  and  has 
never  been  printed. 

His  fifteen  years  direction  of  the  work  of  the  Man- 
chester Public  Libraries  were  marked  by  an  enlightened 
liberality  and  constant  and  earnest  endeavour  to  extend 
the  usefulness  of  the  institutions.  Nearly  all  the  changes 
introduced  into  their  management  at  his  suggestion  were 
in  the  direction  of  the  modification  or  abolition  of 
restrictions.  He  thoroughly  believed  that  free  libraries 
should  be  free,  and  those  of  Manchester  are  now  less 
hampered  by  "  rules  and  regulations  "  than  probably  any 
other.  His  catalogue  of  the  Reference  Library  remains 
a  monument  of  patient  industry  and  bibliographical 
knowledge.  To  him  succeeded  the  present  Chief  Librarian, 
Mr.  Charles  William  Sutton,  who  for  several  years  had 
filled  the  post  of  Sub-Librarian. 

READING  ROOMS. 
From  1872,  when  the  Cheetham  Branch  was  opened, 
to  the  year  1887,  the  efforts  of  the  Free   Libraries  Com- 
mittee were  confined  principally  to  the  improvement  and 


152  READIAG  ROOMS. 

extension  of  the  buildings  and  privileges  already  provided. 
By  the  opening  of  the  Cheetham  Branch  the  chain  of 
libraries  encircling  the  then  city  of  Manchester  was  com- 
pleted, and  it  was  not  until  1886,  when  the  out-townships 
of  Bradford  and  Harpurhey  were  added,  that  any  necessity 
was  felt  for  more  branches.  The  means  then  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Committee  were,  moreover,  entirely  absorbed 
in  the  maintenance  of  the  institutions  already  existing. 
When,  therefore,  a  demand  was  made  upon  them  for  the 
extension  of  the  Free  Library  system  to  the  new  districts, 
they  found  it  impossible  fully  to  comply  with  the  request, 
but  to  meet  the  public  needs  as  well  as  their  funds  would 
permit,  reading  rooms,  supplied  with  newspapers  and 
periodicals  and  a  few  hundred  books  for  reading  on  the 
premises,  were  opened  in  Bradford,  Harpurhey,  and  Hyde 
Road.  To  these  have  since  been  added  other  rooms 
situated  in  Chester-road  and  Crescent-road,  Crumpsall. 
The  advantage  of  these  reading-rooms  lies  in  their  com- 
parative cheapness,  the  cost  of  maintaining  one  of  them 
being  about  one-fourth  that  of  an  ordinary  branch.  These 
small  and  comfortable  rooms,  in  which  the  best  newspapers 
and  periodicals  of  the  day  can  be  read  amid  clean  and 
cheerful  surroundings,  possess  undoubtedly  great  attrac- 
tions for  all  classes  of  workers  after  their  day's  labour  is 
done.  As  their  original  cost  and  that  of  maintenance  is 
small,  it  would  seem  to  be  sound  policy  to  extend  the 
system,  and  plant  them  wherever  the  population  is  thick, 
the  neighbourhood  cheerless,  and  the  alternative  places  of 
pleasant  and  useful  resort  but  few. 

SIR    THOMAS   BAKER,    KT. 
Though  deeply  interested   by,  and  taking  an   active 
part  in,  the  scheme  for  the  creation   of  a   "greater  Man- 
chester,"  Sir  Thomas   Baker  did   not  live  to  witness  its 


S/H    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT.  153 

effects  on  the  fortunes  of  the  public  Hbraries.  He  died  on 
the  17th  April,  1886,  just  after  the  completion  of  the 
incorporation  of  the  first  batch  of  out-townships.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  had  been  Chairman  of  the  Libraries 
Committee  for  close  upon  twenty-two  years.  For  upwards 
of  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  had  devoted  much  time  and 
energy  to  the  work  of  the  City  Council.  He  had  served 
on  nearly  all  its  more  important  Committees,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Free  Libraries,  Watch,  Art  Gallery,  and 
Town  Hall  Committees  when  he  died. 

His  voice  was  a  power  in  the  Council  Chamber.  His 
speaking  was  clear,  cold,  and  decisive.  There  was  no 
rhetorical  display,  no  flowers  of  speech,  but  a  relentless 
marshalling  of  fact  and  argument,  which  almost  invariably 
carried  conviction.  Minutely  anxious  as  to  facts,  he  was 
exact  and  exacting  in  their  use.  Caustic  at  times,  at 
times  bitter,  he  did  not  seem  to  care  whether  he  made 
friends  or  enemies,  provided  only  that  his  words  swayed 
the  majority  in  favour  of  the  view  he  advocated. 

His  character,  partly  natural,  partly  formed  by  his 
legal  training,  was  strong,  imperative,  wilful.  Yet  he  was 
by  no  means  unamenable  to  reason,  and  was  possessed  of 
a  profound  sense  of  justice  and  right.  He  would  never 
take  a  mean  advantage,  and  was  ever  an  honest  and 
straightforward  opponent.  His  mental  endowments  were 
above  the  average,  and  they  had  been  expanded  and 
strengthened  by  careful  culture.  Gifted  with  wide 
sympathies,  he  took  interest  in  many  things,  from  ento- 
mology in  his  early  youth,  to  astronomy  and  botany  in 
his  old  age.  He  was  Vice-President  of  the  Council  of 
the  Manchester  Royal  Botanical  Gardens  from  1876  to 
his  death.  He  was  a  lover  of  books  and  of  reading, 
though  he  wrote  little,  his  only  works  being  a  brief 
Memorials  of  Oldham's  Tenement  at  Crumpsall^  published 


154  SIR    THOMAS  BAKER,   K7. 

in  1864,  in  4to,  with  illustrations;  a  Memoir  of  his 
brother,  Dr.  Charles  Baker,  the  eminent  instructor  of 
the  deaf  and  dumb  ;  and  Memorials  of  a  Dissenting  Chapel. 
This  book  was  an  important  contribution  to  the  history 
of  religion  in  Manchester,  the  dissenting  chapel  whose 
records  were  preserved  therein  being  the  Unitarian  Chapel 
in  Cross  Street,  the  earliest  home  of  Presbyterian  Non- 
conformity in  the  city.  Over  five  hundred  volumes  of 
books  relating  to  local  history,  and  accumulated  principally 
for  the  compilation  of  the  Memorials  of  a  Dissenting 
Chapel,  were  afterwards  presented  by  him  to  the 
Reference  Library.  His  literary  tastes  lay  principally  in 
the  direction  of  genealogy,  biography,  and  topography, 
and  his  love  of  antiquarian  lore  led  him  to  become  a  Vice- 
President  of  the  Lancashire  and  Cheshire  Antiquarian 
Society.  He  was  a  Liberal  in  politics,  but  never  took  an 
active  part  in  political  controversy,  and  strongly  deprecated 
the  introduction  of  party  spirit  into  Municipal  Councils. 

Thomas  Baker  was  born  in  Birmingham,  on  May  i6th, 
1 8 10,  and  received  his  early  education  at  the  Grammar 
School  of  King  Edward  VI.  His  studies  were  continued 
at  Manchester  New  College,  York,  where  he  remained 
for  five  years.  It  was  intended  that  he  should  enter 
the  Unitarian  Ministry,  and  for  six  months  he  was  in 
charge  of  a  congregation  at  Sidmouth,  but  this  profession 
being  distasteful  to  him,  he  went  to  Manchester,  was  there 
articled  to  a  solicitor,  and  was  admitted  a  solicitor  in 
1840.  He  soon  acquired  a  good  practice,  and  began  also 
to  interest  himself  in  public  affairs,  which  led  to  his 
election  to   the  City  Council  in  i860. 

Amongst  the  first  Committees  upon  which  he  was 
placed  to  serve,  was  that  of  the  Public  Free  Libraries. 
This,  although  apparently  a  small  matter,  gave  colour  to 
his  whole  after  career.      Being  himself  a  cultured  man, 


SIR    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT.  I5S 

knowingwell  and  appreciating  keenly  the  value  of  education 
and  knowledge,  knowing  also,  from  his  experience  as  a 
Guardian,  the  misery  and  degradation  of  the  poor,  he  saw 
in  these  Free  Libraries  one  means  of  alleviating  the 
misfortunes  of  thousands  of  his  fellowmen,  of  cheering 
them,  of  raising  their  mental  and  moral  calibre,  and  of 
opening  out  to  them  paths  which  if  followed  must  surely 
lead  to  improvement  in  their  worldly  condition.  This 
was  a  field  of  labour  worthy  of  the  best  efforts  of  a 
worthy  man,  and  Mr.  Baker  threw  himself  into  it  with  his 
usual  energy.  In  1864,  he  was  elected  Chairman  of  the 
Committee.  Into  their  work  Mr.  Baker  threw  his  whole 
heart,  and  he  was  ever  ready  to  adopt  any  suggestion 
which  would  make  the  Public  Libraries  more  popular  or 
more  efficient. 

During  his  many  years  of  office  as  Chairman  of  the 
Committee,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  institu- 
tions under  their  charge  grow  in  number  and  usefulness 
almost  beyond  his  largest  hope.  Many  important  changes 
in  the  management  of  them  were  introduced  by  him,  or 
accomplished  by  his  advocacy,  such  as  the  opening  on 
Sundays,  the  provision  of  Boys'  Rooms,  the  transference 
of  the  Old  Town  Hall  to  the  Committee,  and  the 
employment  of  female  assistants.  On  this  latter  subject 
he  read  a  paper,  before  the  meeting  of  the  Library  Associa- 
tion, at  Manchester,  in  1879,  of  which  meeting  he  was 
elected  President.     Here  is  the  paper  in  abstract. 

The  employment  of  young  women  as  assistants  in  public 
libraries  is  a  recent  experiment  first  tried  in  Manchester, 
and  the  result  of  circumstances  which  I  will  endeavour 
to  explain.  For  nineteen  }-ears  after  the  formation  of 
the  Manchester  Free  Libraries,  boys  and  young  men 
only  were  engaged  as  assistants.  Good  wages  were  paid 
them  and  their  work  was  of  a  lighter  and  pleasanter 
kind  than  that  of  many  other  employments.  No 
dissatisfaction  was  ever  expressed  with  the  work,  but  the 


156  Sm    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT. 

younger  boys  considered  it  a  grievance  to  have  to  remain 
after  ordinary  office  hours,  and  the  elder  ones  learned  as 
they  advanced  in  years  that  they  were  becoming  qualified 
for  better-paid  situations.  The  consequence  was  that 
the  older  and  better  class  of  youths  obtained  other 
situations  with  a  greater  increase  of  wages  than  their  years 
warranted,  and  the  frequent  vacancies  that  occurred 
caused  much  trouble  and  inconvenience  in  the  mainten- 
ance of  that  order  and  efficiency  which  were  essential  to 
the  carrying  out  successfully  of  the  work  of  the  libraries. 
At  that  time,  1871,  the  subject  of  women's  rights,  duties, 
and  employment,  and  particularly  her  exclusion  from 
certain  trades  and  professions, was  engaging  the  attention 
of  thoughtful  people,  and  I  therefore  suggested  that 
young  women  should  be  tried  as  assistants  in  the  libraries. 
The  suggestion  was  assented  to,  and  three  young  women 
were  engaged.  The  branch  librarians  would  have 
preferred  the  continuance  of  the  old  system,  but  they 
did  not  allow  that  feeling  to  interfere  with  the  carrying 
out  of  the  wishes  of  the  Committee,  and  now  I  believe 
there  is  not  one  of  them  who  is  not  in  favour  of  the 
change.  The  experiment  answered  in  every  way,  and  it 
has  been  to  the  Committee  a  subject  of  great  gratification 
that  they  have  been  the  means  of  introducing  young 
women  to  a  new  class  of  labour.  At  the  present  time, 
1879,  they  had  thirty-one  in  their  service,  at  wages 
varying  from  10/-  to  18/-  per  week.  They  are  regular 
in  their  attendance,  attentive  to  their  duties,  uniformly 
courteous  to  borrowers,  and  contented  with  their  employ- 
ment. Changes  are  few,  and  if  a  vacancy  does  occur 
there  are  many  applicants  for  it. 

Some  of  the  ladies  originally  engaged  have  since  been 
appointed  Branch  Librarians.  Mr.  Baker  also  made  a 
strong  effort  to  obtain  for  the  Reference  Library  a  grant 
of  all  books  and  papers  printed  at  the  public  expense, 
addressing  to  the  Members  of  Parliament  for  the  city 
(Hugh  Birley,  Jacob  Bright,  and  Sir  Thomas  Bazley)  the 
following  letter : — 

28,  Jackson's-row,  Manchester, 
March  15th,  1871. 

Dear  Sir, — I  beg  to  forward  to  you  the  following  copy 


SI  A'    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT.  157 

of  a  Resolution,  passed  by  the  Manchester  Public  Free 

Libraries  Committee  : — 

Resolved  unanimously, — That  the  Chairman  be 
requested  to  communicate  with  the  Members  for 
this  city,  with  a  view  to  securing  their  interest 
with  the  Government  to  obtain  for  the  Reference 
Library  copies  of  the  Proceedings  of  both  Houses 
of  Parliament,  of  the  Publications  of  the  Lords  of 
the  Admiralty,  and  of  such  other  Government 
Publications  as  may  be  of  general  interest. 
The   Committee  are  convinced   that  the  Publications 

referred  to  in  the  Resolution  would  be  so  widely  read,  if 

they  were  accessible  to  the  frequenters  of  the  Manchester 

Reference  Library,  as  fully  to  justify  a  compliance  with 

their  request  by  the  several  authorities  with  whom   the 

power  of  presenting  them  lies.     The  following  is  a  list 

of  Publications,  printed  at  the  public  charge,  which  are 

wanted  in  the  Manchester  Reference  Library  : 

Papers  presented  to  Parliavmit. 

Papers  piiblisJied  by  the  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonies. 

Publicatto?is  of  the  Board  of  Trade. 

Publications  of  the  Commissioners  of  Public  Works. 

Publications  of  the  Geological  Survey. 

Papers  published  by  the  Authority  of  the    Secretary  of 
State  for  India. 

Publications  of  the  Board  of  Ordnance. 

Publications  of  the  Board  of  A  dmiralty. 

Publications  of  the  Greonvich  Hospital. 
Works  published  by  the  Record  Commission. 
Works  published  by  the  State  Paper  Commission. 

Chronicles  of  Great  Britain,  published  by  authority  of  the 
Master  of  the  Rolls. 

Publications  of  the  South  Kensington  Museum. 

Publications  of  the  National  Gallery. 

The  papers  presented  to  Parliament  have  been  already 
applied  for,  but  the  Speaker  stated  his  inability  to 
comply  with  the  application,  on  the  ground  that  it  would 
create  a  precedent  which  would  entitle  any  public 
library  to  demand  a  similar  donation.  This  answer 
may  fairly  be  reconsidered.  The  papers  in  question  are 
printed  at  the  expense  of  the  nation,  and  presumably 
for  its  benefit  and  enlightenment.  By  being  deposited 
in  the  Manchester  Free  Library  the  wants  of  the  largest 


138  SI  A'    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT. 

population  of  the  North  of  England  would  be  supplied, 
and  the  object  of  the  publication  of  the  papers  most 
fully  insured. 

Works  published  by  the  Government  are  at  this 
present  time  presented  to  some  public  and  semi-public 
libraries.  Works  issued  by  the  Government  have  also 
at  various  times  been  presented  to  this  library.  Among 
them  may  be  specified  certain  publications  of  the  Record 
Commission,  all  the  publications  of  the  Commissioners 
of  Patents,  the  literary  and  scientific  works  issued  by  the 
British  Museum  Trustees,  and  the  Journal  of  the  House 
of  Lords.  There  would  seem,  therefore,  to  be  no  fixed 
principle  established  to  warrant  the  refusal  by  one 
department  of  the  public  service  of  what  is  conceded  by 
another. 

An  application  was  made  by  the  Manchester  Public 
Free  Libraries  for  a  copy  of  the  Momumnta  Historica 
Britannica,  and  refused,  whilst  the  application  of  the 
Salford  Free  Library  for  the  same  work  was  acceded  to. 
The  Illustrations  of  the  Textile  Fabrics  of  India  was 
presented  to  the  Salford  Free  Library  and  refused  to  the 
Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries.  The  inconsistency 
of  these  decisions  should  be  observed.  The  library 
whose  request  was  granted  is  inferior  alike  in  size  and 
usefulness  to  the  one  whose  request  was  refused.  Again, 
the  application  of  the  Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries 
for  the  valuable  series  of  Chronicles  published  by  the 
authority  of  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  was  refused,  yet  a  set 
was  afterwards  presented  to  the  Chetham  Library,  Man- 
chester. This  library  is  open  only  half  the  number  of 
hours  in  the  year  that  the  Manchester  Reference  Library 
is  open,  and  it  is  visited  by  about  15  readers  daily, 
while  the  Manchester  Reference  Library  is  frequented  by 
about  300  daily. 

The  last  report  of  the  Manchester  Reference  Library 
shows  that  in  the  preceding  year  73,799  readers  attended 
the  Library.  These  came  from  all  parts  of  the  county 
of  Lancaster,  and  from  the  neighbouring  counties  of 
Yorkshire,  Derbyshire,  and  Cheshire.  Such  is  now  the 
repute  of  the  Manchester  Reference  Library  that  it  is 
regarded  of  equal  importance  and  value  to  the  North  of 
England  as  the  Library  of  the  British  Museum  is  to  the 
Metropolis.  As  an  evidence  of  the  immense  boon  which 
the  gift  to  the  Library  by  the  Commissioners  of  Patents 


5/A'    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT.  159 

is,  the  Free  Libraries  Report  shows  that  last  year 
192,007  Specifications  of  Patents  were  examined.  This 
is  not  an  exceptional  number  ;  in  the  preceding^  years 
the  references  to  them  were  equally  numerous. 

The  funds  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Committee  by 
the  penny  rate  are  necessarily  limited  ;  a  large  part  of 
them  is  spent  in  salaries  and  other  current  expenses. 
The  publications  referred  to  in  the  resolution  are  costly 
in  price,  and  being  printed  at  the  expense  of  the  nation, 
may  be  appropriately  and  justly  given  to  a  library 
which  has  been  established  solely  for  the  improvement 
of  the  immense  population  in  the  midst  of  which  it  is 
located. 

A  similar  letter  to  this  has  been  sent  to  each  of  your 
colleagues,  Sir  Thomas  Bazley  and  Mr.  Birley,  and  the 
Committee  trust  that  you  will  be  able  to  exert  such 
influence  as  will  induce  the  authorities  to  comply  with 
this  application,  for  the  benefit  of  the  extensive  and 
important  district  of  which  that  vast  community 
represented  by  you  in  the  House  of  Commons  is  the 
centre. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  dear  Sir, 
Yours  very  respectfully, 

Thomas  Baker,  Chairman, 
Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries  Committee 
To  Jacob  Bright,  Esq.,  M.P. 

The  Chairman  received  a  reply  from  Mr.  Jacob  Bright, 
acknowledging  the  receipt  of  his  letter,  and  stating  that 
he  was  not  sanguine  of  success,  from  having  on  a  former 
occasion  endeavoured  to  obtain  these  publications  and 
failed.  The  answer  of  Sir  Thomas  Bazley  contains  the 
words — "  I  dare  not  give  you  the  hope  of  success,  but  our 
best  efforts  shall  not  be  the  cause  of  defeat."  In  an 
interview  with  Mr.  Birley,  the  Chairman  explained  fully 
the  requirements  of  the  library,  and  subsequently  sent 
him  a  copy  of  the  last  Annual  Report,  directing  his 
attention  particularly  to  that  part  of  it  which  showed  the 
great  attendances  of  readers  for  the  purpose  of  consulting 
the  books  in  the  Reference  Department. 


l6o  S//?    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT. 

These  efforts  were  made  in  the  early  part  of  the  year, 
but  the  Parliamentary  Session  closed  without  any  further 
communication  from  the  Members  for  Manchester.  The 
subject  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Committee,  who 
were  unanimously  of  opinion  that  all  publications  of 
general  interest  printed  by  the  National  Departments  out 
of  public  moneys  ought  to  be  presented  gratuitously  to 
the  large  public  free  libraries  throughout  the  kingdom, 
and  a  resolution  was  passed — 

That  the  Chairman  be  requested  to  put  himself  into 
communication  with  the  Free  Library  Committees 
of  Birmingham  and  Liverpool,  with  a  view  of 
inducing  them  to  join  in  a  united  action  with 
the  Government  Officials  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  for  the  free  libraries  the  publications 
printed  at  the  public  expense. 

This  action  was  taken,  but  the  result  was  disappoint- 
ment, and  the  public  are  still  awaiting  the  privilege  of 
being  permitted  to  conveniently  consult  the  books  which 
they  have  paid  for,  and  yet  are  assumed  to  have  no 
desire  to  see. 

In  187s,  Mr.  Baker  became  an  Alderman,  and  in 
1879  the  mayoralty  was  offered  to  him  but  declined  on 
account  of  ill-health.  In  the  following  year,  the  offer 
being  renewed,  it  was  accepted,  and  his  first  year  of 
service,  1 880-1,  as  Mayor  of  Manchester,  was  entered 
upon.  Perhaps  the  most  interesting  and  certainly  the 
most  characteristic  event  of  the  first  year  of  his  mayoralty 
was  the  banquet  he  gave  in  honour  of  Harrison  Ainsworth, 
the  novelist.  In  honouring  Ainsworth  as  a  distinguished 
Lancashire  representative  of  literature  he  gave  fitting 
expression  to  his  own  love  and  regard  for  books  and  their 
authors,  and  emphasized  it  by  bringing  together  to  meet 
the  "Scott  of  Lancashire"  an  imposing  gathering  of 
local  literary  men  and  women.    The  veteran  novelist,  who 


S/J^    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT.  i6i 

died  in  the  following  year,  was  much  moved  by  the 
reception  he  received,  and  afterwards  dedicated  his  last 
work,  Stanley  Brereton,  to  Mr.  Baker.  A  pleasing 
memento  of  the  occasion  was  provided  by  the  Mayor  in 
the  form  of  a  small  volume  containing  a  portrait  of 
Ainsworth,  a  memoir,  a  list  of  his  works,  and  facsimiles 
of  some  of  the  illustrations  to  them.  A  copy  of  this 
tasteful  little  book  is  preserved  in  the  Reference  Library. 
The  second  year  of  his  mayoralty,  1 88 1-2,  though  full 
of  ordinary  business  was  comparatively  uneventful,  [n 
replying  to  the  resolution  of  thanks  voted  on  the  termina- 
tion of  his  second  term  of  office  as  Mayor,  Mr.  Baker  said : 

I  thank  the  members  of  the  Council  for  the  approving 
words  of  the  resolution  which  has  been  passed.  When 
I  received  the  appointment  of  Mayor,  I  felt  that  it  was 
the  greatest  honour  which  was  likely  to  be  conferred  on 
me,  and  I  have,  during  my  period  of  office,  earnestly 
endeavoured  to  discharge  its  duties.  These  duties  have 
resolved  themselves  into  two  classes  : — first,  those 
immediately  and  distinctly  appertaining  to  the  office ;  and 
secondly,  those  of  an  honorary  nature,  which  I  might  or 
might  not  discharge.  As  regards  the  first;  I  have  never 
been  absent  from  a  meeting  of  the  Council  or  of  the 
General  Purposes  Committee,  and  I  have  not  been 
absent  from  the  meeting  of  any  committee  of  which  I 
was  chairman,  except  when  otherwise  engaged,  on 
Corporation  business.  The  special  matters  to  which 
attention  has  been  given,  and  which  are  worthy  of  notice 
now,  are: — (i)  The  transfer  of  the  Royal  Institution  to 
the  Corporation  ;  (2)  The  arrangement  for  the  printing 
of  the  Court  Leet  Records  ;  and  (3)  the  consideration  of 
the  question  as  to  the  enlargement  of  the  municipal 
boundaries.  As  regards  the  transfer  of  the  Royal 
Institution  to  the  Corporation,  Manchester  has  long  felt 
the  need  of  an  art  gallery.  Though  this  need  is  not  yet 
supplied,  I  trust  that  in  the  course  of  the  next  twelve 
months  the  internal  alterations  of  the  building  may  be 
completed,  so  that  the  committee  may  proceed  to  collect 
objects  of  art.  I  look  upon  the  printing  of  the  Court  Leet 
Records  as  the  first  step  towards  a  faithful  and  complete 

L 


1 62  SIR    THOMAS  BAKER,    KT. 

history  of  Manchester.  Those  seven  M.S.  volumes 
contain  a  full  and  unvarnished  history  of  the  mode 
of  life  of  our  predecessors,  and  of  the  then  manage- 
ment of  our  town.  The  enlargement  of  the  municipal 
boundaries  I  regard  as  a  most  important  matter. 
Situate  as  Manchester  is,  in  the  midst  of  several  smaller 
local  authorities,  with  a  teeming  population,  I  see  a  way 
in  which  it  may  become,  beyond  all  debate,  and  very 
weighty  reasons  why  it  should  become,  the  largest  and 
most  important  city  next  to  the  Metropolis.  Any 
adjoining  districts  which  think  of  uniting  their  fortunes 
with  Manchester  should,  in  my  opinion,  be  received  on 
fair,  equitable,  and  generous  terms.  One  of  the  first 
advantages  would  be  a  participation  in  an  experienced 
government,  which  has  no  other  object  than  that  of  the 
common  good.  Such  districts  would,  I  do  not  doubt,  be 
fostered  into  greatness,  and  gradually  attain  as  much 
municipal  excellence  as  the  present  city.  I  do  not 
think  there  is  a  town  in  the  kingdom  which  has  done  so 
much  within  the  same  period  as  Manchester  has  done 
since  its  incorporation.  It  has  made  gigantic  strides 
towards  securing  the  health  of  its  inhabitants  in  the 
matters  of  water  and  gas  ;  it  has  its  parks  and  recreation 
grounds  (of  which  latter  it  has  fallen  to  my  lot,  during 
my  year  of  office,  to  dedicate  two  to  the  public  use) ;  it 
has  widened  its  streets,  made  squares,  and  erected  one  of 
the  most  magnificent  town  halls  in  the  world  ;  it  has 
given  a  palatial  character  to  its  warehouses ;  it  has 
fostered  education  by  its  free  libraries  and  School  Boards ; 
and,  lastly,  it  has  secured  a  temple  for  the  worship  of  the 
fine  arts.  As  regards  the  good  works  which  it  has  not 
been  obligatory  upon  the  Mayor  to  engage  in,  I  may 
simply  say  that  I  have  considered  it  my  duty,  as 
far  as  the  imperative  work  of  the  office  of  Mayor  per- 
mitted, to  preside,  when  requested,  at  meetings  connected 
with  benevolent,  learned,  and  scientific  objects.  I  have 
endeavoured  to  preserve  the  dignity  and  hospitality  of 
the  office  with  which  the  Council  entrusted  me,  and  I 
believe  that  I  have  handed  over  the  chain  of  office  to 
you,  my  successor,  as  bright  and  untarnished  as  when  it 
was  placed  on  my  shoulders. 

During  the  last  of  these  years  of  office  Mr.  Baker  had 
a  curious  dispute  with  the  gentleman,  then  acting  as  High 


5/A'    THOMAS   BAKER,    KT.  163 

Sheriff  of  the  County,  on  precedency.     Mr.  Baker  thought 
the  Mayor  should  take  the  precedence  of  the  Sheriff  on 
important  official   occasions,  but    the    Sheriff  could   not 
agree  to  this  proposition.      This  contention  exhibited   a 
characteristic   trait  of  his  character.     He   had   a   respect 
amounting    almost    to    reverence  for  ceremonial  and  for 
those  courteous  observances  which  are  supposed  to  be  due 
to  high  dignitaries  and  to  those  in  authority.     Amidst  the 
somewhat  rough  and  democratic  heartiness  of  Manchester 
society,  this  seemed   quaint   and  old-fashioned.     Yet  he 
undoubtedly  understood,  appreciated,  and  to  a  large  extent 
possessed  those  things  which  we    call    the    feelings    and 
instincts  of  a  gentleman.     In  1883  the  honour  of  knight- 
hood was  conferred  upon  him  by  the  Queen  in  person. 
This  distinction  so  well  won  and  so  well  deserved,  would 
have  been  to  him  a  source  of  much  gratification,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  sorrow  which  befel  him  in  December  of 
the  previous  year  by  the  death  of  his  wife.     Probably  to 
distract  his  mind  fi'om  this  bereavement  he  still  continued 
to  take  an  active  part  in  municipal  duties,  and  the  trans- 
ference of  the  Royal  Institution  to  the  Corporation,   the 
incorporation  of  the  out-townships  with  the  city,  and  the 
printing  of  the  Court  Leet  Records,  all  received  a  large 
share  of  his  attention.       This    latter   work    was   truly    a 
labour    of  love,    for    in    it    his    antiquarian    tastes    were 
strongly  gratified,  and  his  interest  in  local  history  pleasingly 
revived.     He  died   in  his  seventy-sixth  year,  literally  in 
harness,  full  of  years  and  of  honours;  and  many  a  genera- 
tion   will    pass    away   before    the    remembrance    of   his 
jealousy  for  the  welfare  and  the  renown  of  Manchester, 
and  his  zeal  in  her    service    shall  have    faded    from    the 
minds  of  men. 

Whatever  honour  posterity  may  accord  to  Sir  Thomas 
Baker,  the  better  portion  will  undoubtedly  be  given  in 


i64  GREATER  MANCHESTER. 

recognition  of  his  disinterested  labours  for  the  enh'ghten- 
ment  of  the  community  whilst  acting  as  Chairman  of 
the  Manchester  Free  Libraries  Committee.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Committee,  shortly  after  his  death,  the  following 
resolution  was  unanimously  adopted  : — 

That  the  Public  Free  Libraries  Committee  record 
their  profound  sense  of  the  loss  they  have  suffered 
by  the  decease  of  Alderman  Sir  Thomas  Baker, 
their  esteemed  chairman,  who  has  devoted  his 
best  energies  to  the  work  of  the  Committee  during 
a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  and  whose  eminent 
ability,  wise  guidance,  literary  culture,  and  keen 
interest  in  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  exercised 
by  him  unsparingly  in  the  interests  of  the 
Manchester  Free  Libraries  have  resulted  in 
greatly  increasing  the  importance,  usefulness,  and 
extent  of  those  institutions.  They  desire  to 
convey  to  the  members  of  his  family  their  earnest 
sympathy  with  them  in  the  bereavement  they 
have  sustained. 

GREATER  MANCHESTER. 
From  1885  to  1890  Manchester  was  busily  engaged 
in  extending  its  boundaries.  When  the  second  of  the 
Acts  obtained  for  this  purpose  was  passed,  eight  more  of 
the  townships  bordering  on  the  city  were  added  to  the 
five  which  had  previously  lost  their  individuality  and 
become  absorbed  in  greater  Manchester.  Many  of  these 
townships,  as  part  of  the  price  of  their  willingness  to  efface 
themselves,  asked  for  and  obtained  the  assurance  that 
free  libraries  should  be  established  in  their  districts. 
The  Libraries  Committee  found,  however,  that  the 
additional  income  which  they  derived  from  the  new 
rateable  areas  was  insufficient  for  the  purpose  of  providing 
the  desired  institutions.  They,  therefore,  appealed  to  Parlia- 
ment, and  in  1 891,  by  a  clause  in  a  local  act,  obtained 
powers  to  increase  the  rate  leviable  from  one  penny  to  any 
sum  not  exceeding  twopence  in  the  pound.  Thus  armed, 
the  Committee  began  their  second  great  era  of  extension. 


NUMBER    OF    VOLUMES  AND   ISSUES,    1S70-S7. 


165 


The  following  tables  show  the  increase  in  the  number  of 
volumes  in  the  libraries,  and  the  extent  to  which  they  were  used 
immediately  before  the  extension  of  the  boundaries  of  the  city  : 

NUMBER   OF   VOLUMES   IN    EACH    LIBRARY   AND    READING 
ROOM    IN    1886-7. 


1^ 

Lending  Libraries 

Reading 
Rooms 

2 

1 

Class 

It 

1 

< 

P 

1 
1 

1 

1 

I.,  11.    Theology  and 

Philosophy... 

III.    History,  Biography, 

&c 

6934 

21416 

14525 
13348 

23319 
4522 

1226 

5756 

458 
2602 

5586 
4292 

157 

887 

4910 

388 
2660 

4662 
5172 

846 

4131 

247 
1985 

3626 

4818 

684 

3963 

376 
2143 

2511 
4201 

1053 

4851 

458 
2371 

4524 
4905 

961 

3632 

407 
2153 

3220 
4019 

126 

17 
41 

92 
216 

34 

178 

10 
75 

80 
240 

12630 
48963 

IV.    Politics    and    Com- 

16886 

V.  Science  and  Art 

VI.  Literature  and  Poly- 

27378 
47620 

VII.  Pro.se  Fiction    

Specifications  of 

Patents 
Embossed  Books 

for  the  Blind 

27863 

4522 

157 

Totals 

84064 

20077 

18679 

15653 

13878 

18162 

14392 

497 

617 

186019 

ANNUAL   ISSUES   FROM 
FOR   EACH   YE 


EACH    LIBRARY   AND    READING   ROOM 
AR    FROM    1870-71    TO    1 886-7. 


Year 


19th 
20th 
21st 
22nd 
2.3rd 
24th 
25th 
26th 
27th 
2Sth 
29th 
30th 
31st 
32nd 
:»rd 
34th 
:35th 


1870-1 
1871--J 
1872-3 
1873-4 
1874-5 


Lendin(;  Libraries 


Reading 
Rooms 


82654 
9590S 
81594 
675(iO 


125962 
11809' 
11565' 
10834: 


XOi'±-0 <>/i>uw 

1875-6 1  6121.S 


37 

(i.S9.")7 
173137 
186448 
2031f4 


1876-7 
1877-8 
1878-9 
1879-80... 

1880-1 _.„... 

1881-2 21019. 

1882-3 2.r_'(i4> 

1883-4 278S7(i 

1884-5 2832;-!2 

1885-6 294444 

1886-7 I278.35.S 


175776 
1721 69i 
161H(in 
172.S1-J 
94S34I1 67.-11  (i 
!i2.-)79  l(i(;7S.-> 
4()!)7--M7(;41.1 
closed  iaiS(i!i 

closLMi2n<.i:i.- 
closLMi2(iL!;r>4 

cl(.sf.l-J(ii)(i7." 
.Ss2S4-_'7lll.")2 
1l!4.S77  2:..S4:{ii 
14:il47  27i».S7s 

1. ■).■>,")(  I  i2;«4Ns 

lS4(;il(i27S-_'(K 
17!i()o;ii-'77r)47 


1^ 


72913 
79319 

SSI  12 

sii;m 

SCiillS 

SSI  i( ;.") 
!)ii:-!(i 
\viw.\ 

14.-»277 

i.si;4s'.i 
I2:.s(i:^ 
1 4:-!  11:^ 

14274.-. 
l.->(i2lill 
Ui7(i:i7 
l(i7.-)7!i 
l(i!»(iS4 


98725  180146 
10.3753  18S147  41173 
1:5II4(IS19'.I!I7<I  6.S:347 
111492  1S1)14.-.  (i!t9.->4 
!l!»!)74  lS(i:i!)(l  68476 
;C)4771S(i4!l4  (;(il29' 
!)7i;.->.-)17.-)l!«  <>32h-v 
'.17271  l'.t07:^(i  75979] 
11774.S2;i-.i:.7|l(H790 
l(l(il4i)i':iS4(l2i  966261 
107.-.  11  17:r4s!  1(10548; 

iDiiiiMi  i'.i(i;!s:!!i(ii)(;30' 
I(i4(;s7  2(i77s2  lii.-)919 
l(»;2-_'7  I'.i;i741;li;s764: 
l()(i(lS7  2()t;(il()  1691941 
17147(1222914  142374: 
1S771S  21(1224  141300; 


Ti 

2 

0 

" 

cS 

« 

M 

Sg 

* 

^ 

>3 

>s 

ce 

=3 

a> 

l*H 

f=H 

rS 

-C 

0 

3 

0 

0 

4519 

13445 

2523 

2845 
2889 
2805 
2815 
2513 
2684 
2746 


751819 

785309 

855062 

819173 

765668 

751342 

681906 

7:35915 

9850791  3281 

966468  2777 

971337  2908 
1065853  3269 
1191588  .33.38 
1:320:393  3700 
1:^81149  3847 
1461740  4150 
1462028  4107 


1 66  THE  NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH. 

THE  NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH. 
Newton  Heath  was  the  first  of  the  new  districts 
which  received  their  attention.  There  they  under- 
took the  completion  of  the  Hbrary  which  formed 
part  of  a  handsome  building  under  construction  by  the 
Local  Board  for  municipal  purposes  at  the  time  of 
incorporation.  This  library  was  opened  on  September  28th, 
1 89 1,  with  4,828  volumes,  a  considerable  portion  of  them 
having  been  purchased  out  of  the  proceeds  of  a 
subscription  of  ^^240  raised  by  residents  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

The  Newton  Heath  Free  Library  owes  its  origin  to  a 
movement  began  in  April,  1886,  when  a  meeting  was  held 
in  the  Primitive  Methodist  School,  Dean  Lane,  for  the 
purpose  of  considering  the  best  means  of  aiding  science- 
teaching  in  the  township.  A  committee  was  then  formed 
to  "  consider  and  formulate  a  scheme  for  carrying  out  a 
proposed  Literary  and  Scientific  Institute,"  and  eventually 
a  requisition  was  presented  to  the  Local  Board  in  favour 
of  the  adoption  of  the  Libraries  x-^cts.  At  the  Town's 
Meeting,  which  was  held  on  13th  December,  1886,  a 
resolution  was  passed  adopting  the  Acts,  and  upon  a  poll 
being  demanded,  the  ratepayers  confirmed  the  decision  of 
the  meeting.  The  poll  was  taken  in  January,  1887,  the 
number  of  votes  being  as  follows  : — In  favour  of  the 
Libraries  Acts,  1,544;  against,  1,185  \  majority,  359. 

The  Local  Board  afterwards  resolved  to  erect  a  group 
of  Township  Buildings,  to  include  Public  Baths  and  a 
Public  Assembly  Hall,  in  addition  to  a  Free  Library  and 
a  School  of  Science  and  Art.  Designs  for  these  buildings 
having  been  submitted,  the  Board  ultimately  selected  those 
of  Mr.  Lawrence  Booth  (Messrs.  Booth  and  Chadwick, 
of  Manchester);  and  Messrs.  William  Southern  and  Sons, 
of  Salford,  were  appointed  as  builders. 


THE   NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH.  167 

In  January,  1891,  the  representatives  of  Newton 
Heath  and  Miles  Platting  Wards  invited  subscriptions 
from  residents  of  the  district,  with  the  object  of  making 
the  library  more  complete  and  extensive  than  would 
otherwise  have  been  possible  with  the  funds  at  the  disposal 
of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee.  In  response  to  this 
appeal  it  is  gratifying  to  record  that  the  following  contri- 
butions were  received  : — 

£ 

Mr.  William  Vickers         .         .         .         -  100 

Messrs.  W.  Holland  and  Sons      -         -         -  50 

Mr.  John  Marsden  -----  10 

Councillor  Garlick       .         .         -         -         -  10 

In  Memory  of  the  late  Mr.  David  Burton   -  5 

Mr.  G.  A.  Chambers    -----  3 

The  Trustees  of  the  late  Mechanics'  Institute,  Newton 
Heath  (Messrs.  Alderman  George  Evans,  W.  T.  Evans, 
James  Evans,  S.  L.  Chadwick,  and  J.  W.  Williamson), 
gave  the  sum  of  £\6  los.  2d.;  and  Councillor  W.  T. 
Rothwell,  as  treasurer  of  the  Newton  Heath  Jubilee  Fund, 
handed  over  £,\A,  9s.  as  the  residue  of  that  fund. 
Councillors  Morgan  and  Tetlow  presented  a  handsomely- 
bound  set  of  the  EncydopcBdia  Bfitannica  ;  and  some 
admirably  selected  books  were  given  by  Mr.  E.  M.  Dixon, 
Mr.  John  Burton,  and  Councillor  Trevor. 

A  tablet  commemorative  of  these  benefactions,  as 
well  as  of  the  opening  of  the  library  by  the  Mayor  of 
Manchester  (Alderman  Mark),  is  placed  in  the  library. 
Another  tablet,  recording  the  names  of  the  members  of 
the  Local  Board  under  whose  auspices  the  buildings  were 
erected,  is  fixed  on  the  wall  near  the  entrance  to  the 
readino;  room. 


i68  THE  NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH. 

In  addition  to  4,417  volumes  provided  for  borrowers, 
there  were  299  volumes  set  apart  for  boys,  in  a  reading 
room  devoted  especially  to  their  use  ;  and  in  the  general 
reading  room  there  is  a  bookcase  containing  112  volumes 
of  Encyclopaedias,  Dictionaries,  and  other  books  of  refer- 
ence. This  room,  which  is  furnished  with  an  ample  supply 
of  the  most  popular  magazines  and  newspapers  of  the  day, 
is  also  provided  with  celestial  and  terrestrial  globes. 

The  inauguration  of  this  Branch,  which  took  place 
on  the  evening  of  Monday,  28th  of  September,  1891,  was 
an  especially  noteworthy  event,  as  it  was  the  first  of 
a  series  of  libraries  to  be  opened  in  the  districts  added  to 
the  city  by  the  Incorporation  Act  of  1890,  and  marked 
the  beginning  of  a  great  development  of  the  system,  and 
therefore  a  much  wider  diffusion  of  the  educational  and 
recreative  benefits  of  the  public  libraries. 

Prior  to  the  public  meeting  there  assembled  in  one  of 
the  rooms  in  the  library  building  the  Mayor  and  Mayoress 
of  Manchester,  many  members  of  the  City  Council,  and 
a  number  of  the  influential  inhabitants  of  the  district. 
Councillor  J.  W.  Southern,  Chairman  of  the  Free  Libraries 
Committee,  presented  the  Mayor,  on  behalf  of  the 
Committee,  with  a  gold  key,  which  on  one  side  bore  the 
arms  of  the  City,  and  on  the  other  the  inscription, 
"  Presented  to  Alderman  John  Mark,  Mayor  of  Manchester, 
by  the  Free  Libraries  Committee  on  the  opening  of  the 
Newton  Heath  Branch  Free  Library,  28th  September, 
1 89 1."  The  Mayor  accepted  the  key,  but  said  that  before 
making  any  remarks  about  it  he  must  give  it  a  trial.  The 
Mayor,  accompanied  by  the  guests,  then  proceeded  to  the 
library  door,  which  he  unlocked.  The  public  were 
admitted,  and  an  inspection  of  the  various  rooms  was 
made.  Having  filled  up  the  usual  form  guaranteeing  the 
return    of   any    book    which   he   might   borrow    from  the 


/• 


THE  NEWrON  HEATH  BRANCH.  169 

library,  the  Mayor  was  supplied  with  Smiles'  Self  Help. 
After  this  an  adjournment  was  made  to  the  public  hall,  in 
which  a  large  audience  of  some  700  persons  had  assembled. 
Councillor  Southern  presided,  and  there  were  also  on  the 
platform  the  Mayor  and  Mrs.  Mark,  Aldermen  B.  T.  Leech, 
W.  H.  Holland,  and  G.  Evans  ;  Councillors  Harry 
Rawson,  J.  B.  Fullerton,  Jas.  Hoy,  W.  T.  Bax,  J.  Norris, 
W.  T.  Rothwell,  Charles  Rowley,  W.  Trevor,  D.  M'Cabe, 
T.  C.  Abbott ;  Mr.  George  Milner,  Mr.  J.  H.  Reynolds 
(Secretary  of  the  Technical  School),  the  Rev.  E.  F.  Letts, 
the  Rev.  B.  Button,  Messrs.  J.  Ward,  S.  L.  Chadwick, 
G.  A.  Chambers,  J.  Coleman,  W.  T.  Evans,  J.  Garlick, 
Thomas  Milnes,  J.  Neild,  A.  Nicholson,  H.  Tetlow,  John 
Williamson,  J.  W.  Williamson,  J.  P.  Wilkinson,  C.  W. 
Sutton  (Chief  Librarian),  and  W.  R.  Credland  (Sub- 
Librarian). 

The  Chairman  said  they  were  met  for  the  purpose  of 
declaring  open  and  dedicating  to  the  public  use  the  fine 
room  in  which  they  were  then  assembled,  and  also  the  Free 
Library  which  had  just  been  opened  by  the  Mayor,  and 
from  which  he  had  just  received  as  a  borrower,  that  very 
admirable  book.  Self  Help,  by  Mr.  Smiles.  He 
supposed  it  would  be  like  carrying  coals  to  Newcastle 
for  him  to  describe  to  the  people  of  Newton  Heath,  the 
building  in  which  he  then  stood,  inasmuch  as  they  had 
seen  it  growing  up  before  their  eyes  for  some  time  past, 
and  were  acquainted  with  it  as  being  a  very  prominent 
and  a  very  ornamental  addition  to  the  architecture  of 
the  district.  The  Baths  which  form  a  portion  of  the  pile, 
had  already  been  opened,  and  he  believed  were  now  in 
successful  working.  That  room  would  be  an  admirable 
provision  for  the  future.  He  only  wished  they  had  such 
rooms  in  all  the  districts  of  Manchester.  This  was  one 
of  the  most  important  needs  in  some  parts  of  the  city, 
so  that  the  inhabitants  could  meet  either  to  discuss 
public  affairs;  or  to  listen  to  lectures  and  instructive 
addresses.  Besides  the  public  room,  the  baths,  and  the 
library,  they  had  established  a  Boys'  Room,  which  they 
regarded  as  an  exceedingly  important  part  of  their  free 


[70  THE  NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH. 

library  system.     In  all  their  large  libraries  they  had  got 
a  cheerful,  well-lighted,  pleasing,  attractive  room  for  the 
boys,    provided    with     books     specially     adapted    and 
attractive  to  youth,  and  it  was  an  exceedingly  pleasant 
thing.     It  was  one  of  the  enjoyments  of  his  life  to  go 
round  to  these  Boys'  Rooms  and  see  some  of  these  little 
fellows,  many  of  them  coming  from  homes  where  there 
might  be  no  great  degree  of  pleasure  or  comfort,  with 
an  interesting  book  before  them,  and  among  the  sordid 
surroundings    of    their    own     lives,    deriving    pleasure 
from  another  though  to  them  ideal  imaginative  world. 
He  claimed  for  Manchester  that  only  one  city — that  of 
Boston,  in  the  United  States — exceeded  Manchester  in 
the  number  of  books  distributed  among  the  people  by 
the  free  library  system.     He  dared  say  it  would  be  news 
to  many  of  them  to  know  that  during  last  year  1,564,000 
volumes    were    issued    from    the    Central    Library    of 
Manchester  and  the  various  branches.      He  claimed  that 
that   fact    represented    an    enormous    amount    of  good. 
They  had  recently  increased  the  city  by  the  amalgama- 
tion of  a  number  of  townships,  of  which  Newton  Heath 
was  one.      In  the  course  of  the  negotiations  which  led  to 
this  amalgamation   certain   promises   were   held   out   to 
these  districts  that  some  of  those  municipal  conveniences, 
of  which  free  libraries  were  one,  should  be  supplied  to 
every  district.     They  did  not  need  to  make  that  promise 
to  Newton   Heath,  for  the  public-spirited  men   of  that 
township    had    already    decided    that    for    themselves. 
Those    buildings    did    not    owe    their    origin    to    the 
Corporation,    but    to    their    predecessors    in    the    local 
government  of  the  district — the  Newton  Heath  Local 
Board.     This  was  only  what  they  might  have  expected 
from  what    they    knew    of  the    district.      The  Newton 
Heath   Library  was   the   first  of  the    series   of  branch 
libraries    which    were    bound    to    be   established   in   the 
various   districts   in   consequence  of    the  amalgamation 
which  he  had  referred  to.     The  Committee  would  open 
two  others  this  winter,  one  at  Longsight,  and  the  other 
at  Rusholme  ;   and  plans   were   now   in   the   process  of 
development  through  which  they  hoped  there  would  be 
a  still  further  and  considerable  extension  of  their  library 
system.      He  hoped  they  would  maintain  the  position 
they  had  hitherto  held  in  relation  to  other  free  libraries, 
and  to  the  distribution  among  the  masses  of  the  people 
of  wholesome  and  healthy  literature. 


THE   NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH.  171 

The  Mayor,  Alderman  John   Mark,  said  he  regarded 
the  completion  of  the  buildings  with  very  great  pleasure 
indeed.     The   Committee    had    paid    him    a   very  high 
compliment    in    asking   him    to    perform    the    opening 
ceremony  ;    and  if  there  were  any  regret  at  all,  it  might 
be  that  their  politeness  to  him  had  deprived  them  of  a 
very   learned  address  from   another    prominent  person. 
He  could  promise  them  no  such  address.     He  felt  on 
occasions  of  that  kind  at  a  very  great  disadvantage  when 
attempting   to  address  an  audience.      However,  he  had 
always  endeavoured  to  do  his  best,  and  he  was  sure  that 
they  would  accept  his  remarks  in  the  sincerity  of  purpose 
in    which    he    desired    to    address    them.      It    was    not 
necessary  for  anyone  occupying  the  position  he  did  that 
evening    to    make    any    defence    for,   or   enter    into    an 
explanation   about,  the   establishment  of  free   libraries. 
That  was  settled   by  the  citizens  of  Manchester  forty 
years  ago,  when  they  were  the  very  first  municipality, 
and  he  said  it  with  some  pride,  to  sanction  a  rate  being 
levied  for  library  purposes.     Therefore  they  might  very 
truly  say  that    free    libraries  in    Manchester   had    long 
since  passed  their  elementary  stage.     It  might  be  that 
some  would  say  that  they  had  been  provided  at  a  very 
considerable   expense.     Well,  for  his  own  part   he  did 
not   think   it  was   a   bad   investment.     They   had   been 
limited  by  Act  of  Parliament  to  a  library  rate  of  one 
penny  in  the  pound,  which,  in  this  greater  Manchester, 
would  yield  something  like  i^  10,000  per  annum.    Lately, 
however,  they  had  gone  to  Parliament,  and  had  obtained 
power  to  extend  the  rate,  if  they  could  prudently  expend 
it,  to  twopence  in   the  pound.     They  might  call   that  a 
very  considerable  annual  charge  upon  the  rates,  but  he 
held  that  even  if  they  went  to  the  full   extent  it  would 
still  be  a  good  investment.      If,   by  the  distribution   of 
this  wholesome  literature,  by  improving  the  education 
of  the  people,  the  result  should  be  to  reduce  the  poor 
rate,  the  gaol  rate,  and   the  police  rate,  it  would  be  an 
admirable    investment.      Therefore    they    admired    the 
wisdom  of  those  who  went  before  them  and   provided 
institutions   for  the  people  such  as  libraries,  museums, 
art  galleries,  parks,  and  baths,  the  last  not  entirely  free, 
but  yet  nearly  so.     It  was  quite  remarkable  how  much 
attention  was  now  being  paid   to  continuous  education 
through  evening  classes  of  every  kind.    He  might  instance 


172  THE   NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH. 

the  valuable  work  done  by  the  Free  Libraries  Committee. 
Not  only  did  they  carry  on  the  work  of  education  during 
school  years,  but  they  afforded  valuable  aids  to  study 
beyond  those  years.  Many  instances  were  known  of  men 
who  owed  to  the  knowledge  acquired  in  the  libraries  much 
of  their  success  in  life,  to  say  nothing  of  the  great  and 
high  delight  that  reading  and  study  afforded.  The 
importance  of  none  of  these  things  could  be  overestimated. 
What  did  the  mass  of  literature  placed  at  the  service  of 
the  people,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  free 
libraries,  mean?  It  meant  that  the  representatives  of  the 
people  in  the  City  Council  and  others  who  took  an 
interest  in  education  were  determined  to  do  their  duty 
in  respect  to  educational  matters  to  those  whom  they 
represented  by  placing  in  the  power  of  the  public  the 
means  of  obtaining,  on  the  very  easiest  terms,  the  best 
literature  which  the  world  has  produced.  Their  repre- 
sentatives had  no  personal  end  of  their  own  to  serve,  and 
only  hoped  that  the  people  would  avail  themselves  to  the 
full  of  their  splendid  opportunities.  It  had  been  said 
that  they  could  take  a  horse  to  the  water,  but  could  not 
make  him  drink  ;  and  so  they  might  bring  books  to 
Newton  Heath,  but  they  could  not  make  the  people  use 
them.  It  rested  entirely  with  themselves,  and  having 
had  some  experience  of  improving  his  own  education  by 
means  of  borrowing  useful  books,  he  could  commend 
that  course  to  all  ycung  people  present.  Of  course  they 
wanted  also  healthy,  pleasant  recreation,  but  he  appealed 
to  them  to  devote  some  portion  of  their  time  to  self- 
improvement.  He  appealed  to  the  fathers  and  mothers 
present  to  take  an  interest  in  their  children's  studies  and 
reading. 

Councillor  Harry  Rawson  said  no  duty  more  accept- 
able could  possibly  have  been  assigned  to  him  than 
that  of  recognising  in  that  magnificent  assembl)-  the 
great  and  handsome  services  rendered  by  some  of  their 
neighbours.     He  moved  : — 

That  the  thanks  of  this  meeting  are  presented  to  the 

kind    and    liberal    donors    of    books    and    other 

matters    for    the    use    of  the    neighbourhood    of 

Newton  Heath  and  Miles  Platting. 

The  donors  were  well  known  to  them.     Many  of  them 

had   served   the   public  in  various  important  capacities. 


THE  NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH.  173 

Whatever  other  satisfaction  the  donors  might  have,  they 
knew  they  had  helped  in  the  inauguration  of  a  great  work 
of  enh'ghtenment  in  this  district,  and  done  something 
towards  improving  the  intellectual,  moral,  and  social 
level,  and  the  individual  recreation  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  neighbourhood  through  many  generations  to  come. 

Mr.  George  Milner,  in  seconding  the  motion,  said  two 
classes  of  persons  were  visibly  rising  in  general  estima- 
tion and  importance — the  librarian  and  the  elementary 
schoolmaster.  In  his  opinion  both  these  classes  should 
rank  as  professions,  and  their  members  should  be 
thoroughly  educated  and  certificated  in  relation  to  their 
special  work.  The  library  ought  to  bear  an  important 
part  in  the  systematic  continuation  of  education.  There 
was  no  better  continuation  school  then  the  library.  He 
hoped  everything  would  be  done  to  make  the  Newton 
Heath  Branch  Library  an  educational  institution — not 
merely  a  place  where  people  might  go  to  borrow  a  book 
casually,  as  it  were  by  accident,  without  a  purpose  and 
without  direction,  but  a  place  where  they  might  be  guided 
by  those  who  were  competent  to  give  them  assistance. 
He  wished  to  make  a  suggestion  which  he  had  made 
elsewhere  on  similar  occasions.  He  thought  the  library 
would  not  fulfil  its  proper  purpose  until  there  were  given 
in  connection  with  it  systematic  lectures,  not  on  books 
in  general,  but  upon  the  books  actually  in  the  library — 
lectures  which  should  tell  the  people  what  they  ought  to 
read  and  how  to  read  it.  Then,  again,  what  librarians 
called  'hand  lists'  should  be  prepared,  so  that  a  student 
who  did  not  know  his  way  among  books  might,  so  to 
speak,  have  a  hand  stretched  out  to  him  and  be  shown 
how  to  make  the  library  of  real  use  to  his  own  education. 
He  was  satisfied  that  whatever  the  elementary  schools 
might  do,  unless  a  direct  connection  could  be  established 
between  the  elementary  school  and  the  public  library 
their  work  would  not  be  half  done.  Even  on  its  recreative 
side,  reading  might  be  made  educational.  The  novel,  no 
less  than  the  treatise,  would  be  of  signal  service  in  the 
education  of  the  young,  if  it  were  only  rightly  selected 
and  rightly  used.  Boys  and  girls  in  school  should  not 
only  be  taught  to  read,  but  to  love  reading,  so  that  the}' 
themselves  might  continue  their  education  when  they  left 
school.  He  sometimes  feared  that  the  great  facility  now 
given  for  acquiring  education  in  school  was  not  conducing 


174 


THE  NEWTON  HEATH  BRANCH. 


as  much  as  it  should  do  to  help  forward  a  real  love  of 
learning.  He  remembered  hearing  Mr.  Ben  Brierley 
(who  was  a  Failsworth  lad)  once  say  that  when  he  was 
a  youth  he  thought  they  learned  better  how  to  climb 
towards  education  because  they  had  to  make  their  own 
ladders.  He  hoped  that  although  the  ladders  were  now 
made  for  them  in  abundance,  the  young  people  would  not 
be  unwilling  to  climb.  Schoolmasters  and  others  should 
try  above  all  things  to  give  those  who  come  under  their 
charge  a  real  enthusiasm  and  love  for  knowledge.  The 
real  student  had  never  done  learning.  Over  the  grave  of 
Green  the  historian,  in  the  cemetery  at  Florence,  there 
was  this  epitaph — and  this  only — '  He  died  learning.' 

Councillor  James  Hoy,  Chairman  of  the  Technical 
Instruction  Committee  of  the  City  Council,  in  supporting 
the  resolution,  said  that  meeting  was  also  the  public 
inauguration  of  the  science  and  art  classes  in  that 
neighbourhood.  While  in  Newton  Heath  they  had  the 
latest  addition  to  the  libraries,  they  had  at  the  same 
time  the  commencement  of  science  and  art  teaching  and 
of  technical  instruction  directly  in  connection  with  the 
Corporation.  This  was  not  only  the  first  effort  in 
Manchester  in  that  direction,  but  it  was  also  one  of  the 
very  first  in  the  kingdom.  Not  more  than  half  a  dozen 
towns  had  as  yet  taken  this  matter  into  their  own  hands, 
and  they  in  Manchester  up  to  the  present  time  had  only 
supplemented  the  funds  of  other  institutions.  Now  they 
had  advanced  a  step  further.  They  had  provided  all 
fittings  and  apparatus  for  those  rooms,  such  as  desks, 
drawing  materials,  laboratory  accommodation,  and  other 
things.  They  intended  to  have  a  series  of  domestic 
economy  lectures,  including  lectures  on  cookery,  dress- 
making, and  in  what  was  called  first  aid  to  the  injured. 
They  had  asked  the  officers  of  the  Technical  School  to 
take  in  hand  the  management  of  these  classes  and  the 
providing  of  an  efficient  staff  of  teachers.  There  was  a 
considerable  list  of  lectures  in  science  and  art  and 
commercial  subjects,  as  well  as  the  specific  classes  for 
women  which  he  had  mentioned,  and  he  hoped  the 
inhabitants  of  Newton  Heath  would  take  full  advantage 
of  them.  This  was  only  part  of  the  scheme  for  general 
higher  education,  because  those  who  attended  the  schools 
there    might   look   forward  to  being   participators  in  a 


THE  RUSHOLME  BRANCH.  175 

ver\'  considerable  number  of  scholarships  that  were  being 
established  b)'  the  Manchester  Corporation  in  the  various 
higher  educational  institutions  of  Manchester. 

Alderman  VV.  H.  Holland,  in  replying  to  the  vote  of 
thanks,  said,  on  behalf  of  those  who  had  done  some  little 
to  make  the  library  more  complete,  he  acknowledged 
with  gratitude  the  resolution  which  they  had  just  now 
been  good  enough  to  pass  with  so  much  enthusiasm. 
That  was  to  him  a  red  letter  day,  and  one  to  which  he 
had  looked  forward  for  a  very  long  time.  They  knew 
that  the  scheme  for  these  public  buildings  was  hatched 
in  the  old  Local  Board  office.  Of  course  they  did  not 
like  to  refer  very  much  to  those  old  Local  Board  days, 
because  it  was  an  antiquated  kind  of  government  which 
they  had  then.  He  hoped  that  they  had  already  felt 
the  advantage  of  the  change  which  had  come  about  in 
their  public  life.  He  ventured  to  hope  that  those 
buildings  would  exert  a  very  admirable  and  very  blessed 
influence  upon  the  public  life  of  the  neighbourhood. 

The  Chairman,  in  bringing  the  business  of  the  meeting 
to  a  close,  expressed  the  hope  that  if  any  little  defects 
were  found  to  exist  with  regard  to  the  library,  those 
finding  them  would  write  to  him  instead  of  sending 
anonymous  letters  to  newspapers.  He  never  neglected 
to  take  notice  and  attend  to  any  letter  on  free  library 
matters  which  was  addressed  to  him  as  Chairman  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee,  and  he  promised  them  that 
if  there  was  anything  they  had  to  say  which  was  deserving 
attention  they  should  have  it. 

THE  RUSHOLME  BRANCH. 
Whilst  busy  with  this  undertaking,  the  Committee 
had  the  gratification  of  receiving  from  the  Trustees  of  the 
Longsight  Mechanics'  Institution  and  of  the  Rusholme 
Public  Hal!,  both  situated  in  newly  added  districts,  offers 
to  transfer  their  properties  to  the  Corporation  for  the 
purpose  of  conversion  into  free  libraries.  Both  offers  were 
accepted,  and  the^buildings  adaptedfor  their  new  services. 
The  Rusholme  Branch  was  opened  on  April  30th,  1892, 
and  the  Longsight  Branch  on  July  23rd  of  the  same  year. 


176  THE   RUSHOLME  BRANCH. 

The  Rusholme  Public  Hall  and  Library  commenced 
its  career  in  hired  rooms  in  1850,  the  building  in  which  the 
Free  Library  is  now  located  being  opened  in  i860.  This 
institution  was  founded  "  to  afford  facilities  for  the  moral 
and  intellectual  improvement  of  the  neighbourhood,  and 
to  afford  accommodation  for  public  gatherings  consistent 
therewith."  The  cost  of  erection,  fittings,  &c.,  about 
;i^2,8oo,  was  raised  in  public  subscriptions,  supplemented 
by  the  proceeds  of  two  bazaars,  held  respectively  in  i860 
and  1864. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  a  good  reading  room  and 
library  were  provided  for  a  small  subscription,  a  boys' 
day  school  was  successfully  carried  on,  a  savings  bank 
was  efficiently  worked,  and  a  large  room  was  available  for 
concerts,  public  meetings,  and  like  purposes,  at  a  reason- 
able rental.  Other  recreative  departments,  a  gymnasium, 
bowling  alley,  and  billiard  room,  were  from  time  to  time 
added,  and,  becoming  attractive  features,  retained  their 
popularity  for  many  years.  Prior  to  the  incorporation  of 
Rusholme  with  Manchester  the  Local  Board  had  its  offices 
in  the  building. 

The  successive  Presidents  of  the  Institution  were: — 
Mr.  E.  Langworthy,  Mr.  J.  H.  Mayson,  Mr.  W.  R. 
Callender,  Mr.  P.  Goldschmidt,  and  Mr.  J.  Parlane  ;  while 
Archdeacon  Anson,  one  of  the  founders,  officiated  con- 
tinuously as  a  Vice-President. 

A  gradual  but  marked  decrease  in  the  number  of 
subscribers  made  the  Directors  somewhat  anxious  about 
the  future  of  the  hall,  and  after  mature  consideration  they 
decided  to  recommend  its  conversion  into  a  free  library 
and  reading  room  under  the  Manchester  Corporation, 
hoping  that  thereby  its  usefulness  would  be  increased, 
and  that  it  would  prove  a  great  boon  to  the  district.  The 
proposal  being  favourably  received  by  the  Free  Libraries 


THE   RUS HOLME   BRANCH.  177 

Committee,  a  special  meeting  of  the  members  was  held 
on  September  8th,  1891,  and  the  following  resolution  was 
passed  : — 

That  the  Rusholme  Public  Hall  and  Library  be 
dissolved  on  the  29th  of  September,  1891,  and 
that  all  necessary  steps  be  taken  for  the  disposal 
and  settlement  of  the  property  of  the  Institution, 
its  claims  and  liabilities,  according  to  the  rules  of 
the  said  Institution  applicable  thereto ;  and, 
further,  that  upon  the  satisfaction  of  the  debts 
and  liabilities  of  the  said  Institution,  any  property 
whatsoever  which  shall  remain  shall  be  given  to 
the  Corporation  of  Manchester  for  the  general 
use  of  the  public. 

Negotiations  for  the  transfer  were  at  once  begun,  and 
in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  aforesaid  resolution, 
the  Institution  was  closed  on  September  29th,  1891. 
Certain  structural  alterations  necessary  to  adapt  the 
building  to  the  purposes  required  were  completed  in  April, 
1892.  The  general  reading  room,  lending  library,  and 
boys'  reading  room,  all  adjoining  and  communicating, 
are  very  conveniently  situated  on  the  ground  floor,  while 
the  large  room  above  is  kept  for  public  use  as  formerly. 

The  building  converted  into  a  Free  Library  under 
municipal  control  was  opened  on  Saturday,  April  30th, 
1892,  by  Sir  Henry  Roscoe,  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
gathering  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  district.  The  Mayor 
of  Manchester  (Alderman  B.  T.  Leech)  presided,  and 
those  present  included  Lady  Roscoe,  Archdeacon  Anson, 
Professor  Ward,  Professor  Wilkins,  Councillor  J.  W. 
Southern  (Chairman  of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee), 
Councillor  Harry  Rawson  (Deputy-Chairman),  and  Alder- 
man Bowes  (Chairman  of  the  Salford  Libraries  and  Parks 
Committee),  Professsor  Tout,  Professor  H.  B.  Dixon, 
Alderman  Edwin  Guthrie,  Alderman  Hinchliffe,  Professor 
A.  Milnes  Marshall;  the  Revs.  J.  J.  Twist, H.  Norburn,  C  T. 
M 


178  THE  R  US  HOLME  BRANCH. 

Poynting,  and  W.  H.  Finney  ;  Councillors  Hoy,  Gunson, 
Norris,  and  Royle ;  Messrs.  John  H.  Nodal,  W.  E.  A. 
Axon,  Charles  W.  Sutton  (Chief  Librarian),  J.  Taylor  Kay, 
J.  R.  Beard,  Frank  Hampson,  J.  R.  Finlayson,  George 
Esdaile,  George  Hahlo,  W.  B.  Dewhurst,  W.  F.  Lane, 
Hugh  Rowland,  Theodore  Neild,  J.  T.  Foard,  and  James 
Parlane. 

The  Mayor,  in  his  opening  remarks,  said  it  was  not 
many  years  since  Rusholme  became  joined  to  Manchester, 
and  when  that  contract  was  ratified  there  were  a  few 
dissentients  who  thought  the  union  was  not  one  that 
would  be  happy  for  both  parties.  He  thought  that  now 
most  people  would  agree  that  Manchester  and  Rusholme 
had  pulled  together  amicably.  He  was  sure  that 
Manchester  had  done  its  best  for  Rusholme,  and 
Manchester,  on  the  other  hand,  had  been  met  with  the 
greatest  kindness  and  public  spirit,  not  only  by  Rusholme 
but  by  the  other  out-townships  that  had  been  incorporated. 
In  Openshaw  they  had  had  presented  by  the  Whitworth 
Legatees  i^6,ooo  and  a  large  piece  of  land  ;  the 
inhabitants  of  Newton  Heath  had  contributed  a  large 
sum  of  money  to  stock  the  library  that  the  Corporation 
had  recently  completed  ;  in  Longsight  they  had  had  a 
handsome  institution  presented  to  the  city  ;  and  now 
those  who  had  been  associated  with  the  Rusholme 
Public  Hall  had  very  generously  handed  it  over  to  the 
Corporation  free  of  cost,  to  be  used  as  a  free  library. 
He  felt  sure  the  library  would  prove  a  great  blessing  to 
the  inhabitants,  and  that  it  would  tend,  as  the  other 
libraries  of  the  city  were  tending,  to  diminish  crime  and 
improve  the  education  of  the  people. 

Sir  Henry  Roscoe  was  received  with  applause  on 
rising  to  declare  the  library  open.  He  said  that  to  his 
mind  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  proofs  of  English 
advance  in  civilization  and  refinement  was  to  be  found  in 
the  establishment  by  the  ratepayers  of  free  libraries,  and 
he  must  be  allowed  to  congratulate  the  inhabitants 
of  that  populous  district,  in  which  he  had  so  happily 
lived  for  so  long  a  time,  on  the  acquirement  of  a 
municipal  free  library.  But  they  must  not  forget 
that    that    institution    had    existed    there    for   a   long 


THE  K  US  HOLME    BRANCH.  179 

time,  and  that  Rusholme  was  not  behindhand  in  having 
a  Hbrary  of  its  own,  though  not  a  municipal  one. 
The  Rusholme  Public  Library  and  reading  room  was 
established  in  the  year  185 1,  and  was  held  in  a 
room  over  the  present  coffee  tavern  in  Wilmslow 
Road.  The  founders  were  the  Ven.  Archdeacon  Anson, 
Mr.  W.  Entwistle  (afterwards  M.P.),  Mr.  Edward  Wild, 
Mr.  Thomas  Lowe,  Mr.  S.  Royle  (now  Councillor),  and 
others.  Lectures  were  given  monthly,  and  the  place  was 
well  used  by  the  working  people.  The  object  of  the 
founders  was  to  provide  for  the  residents  of  Rusholme 
opportunities  for  educational  and  social  enjoyment. 

We  in  Manchester,  he  thought,  might  be  proud  of  the 
fact  that  our  Central  Free  Library  was  the  first  to  be 
established  in  the  country  after  the  passing  of  the 
Libraries  Act  of  1850  Surely  none  of  the  ratepayers' 
money  was  more  productive  of  good  than  that  spent  in 
the  establishment  and  equipment  of  free  libraries.  Of 
this  we  might  be  assured  when  we  learn  that  the  number 
of  readers  and  borrowers  in  Manchester  for  the  year 
ending  September  5th,  1891,  reached  the  enormous 
figure  of  4,327,038 — the  largest  number  of  persons  using 
a  library  in  the  world,  with  the  single  exception  of  Boston, 
in  the  United  States — whilst  the  number  of  volumes 
lent  for  home  reading  was  702,803,  and  of  these  only  13 
were  missing.  Here  we  had  an  instance  of  what 
co-operation  could  do.  No  single  individual,  except  at 
an  enormous  cost  to  himself,  could  do  what  we  had  done 
at  a  cost  to  every  ratepayer  of  a  sum  which  he  could 
scarcely  feel,  but  which  put  each  citizen  in  possession  of 
a  library  of  which  the  most  wealthy  might  well  be 
envious. 

Of  the  value  of  books  and  reading  so  much  had  been 
said  by  writers  and  speakers,  both  ancient  and  modern, 
that  to  add  anything  new  seemed  almost  impossible,  and 
yet  every  day  brought  something  fresh.  The  usefulness 
and  importance  of  books  and  of  reading  was  increasing 
day  by  day,  and  it  was  for  us  to  find  out  the  best  books 
and  how  best  to  make  them  of  use.  Still  more  to-day 
than  of  yore  was  the  maxim  true  that  'of  making  many 
books  there  is  no  end'  (some  50,000  books  now  appeared 
annually),  and  that  'much  study  is  a  weariness  of  the 
flesh.'  What  we  needed  was  to  know  how  to  choose  our 
books  and  so  to  read  that  the  flesh  was  not  wearied,  but 


i8o  THE    RUS HOLME   BRANCH. 

the  spirit  refreshed  and  invigorated,  for  just  as  there 
were  books  which  were  no  books,  so  there  was  reading 
which  was  no  reading.  To  do  nothing  more  than  'dream 
away  one's  life  in  others'  speculations,'  as  Charles  Lamb 
had  it,  and  to  lose  oneself  in  other  people's  thoughts,  was 
little  better  than  day-dreaming  and  as  unprofitable. 
Only  as  a  reward  for  accomplished  labours  and  as  a 
release  from  depressing  thoughts  ought  such  reading  to 
be  regularly  indulged  in.  For  vigorous  men  and  women 
of  all  ages  and  of  all  ranks  reading  should  have  a 
different  aim,  and  books  should  chiefly  serve  as  a  stimulus 
to  action.  For  it  was  by  what  a  man  could  do  in  the 
world,  rather  than  by  what  he  knows,  that  mankind 
progressed,  and  knowledge  that  could  not  be  transformed 
into  power  was  nothing  less  than  waste.  Let  them  read, 
therefore,  not  only  that  which  interested  them,  but  that 
which  would  give  them  the  means  of  applying  their 
knowledge  to  some  useful  end.  Read  books  not  merely 
to  give  you  pleasure  for  the  moment,  but  to  make  you  a 
better  man,  a  worthier  citizen,  a  more  useful  member  of 
society.  'Choose  not  such  books,' it  had  been  well  said, 
'as  think  for  you,  but  such  as  make  you  think.'  Ruskin 
distinguished  between  the  books  of  the  hour  and  those 
of  all  time.  Both  contained  books  good  and  bad.  The 
good  books  of  the  hour  gave  us  the  pleasant  or  useful 
talk  of  some  person  with  whom  we  could  not  converse. 
Of  the  bad  we  need  not  speak.  A  true  book,  however, 
did  not,  like  the  telephone,  merely  serve  to  convey  the 
voice,  but  served,  like  a  phonograph,  to  preserve  it.  The 
real  author  had  something  to  say  which  was  new  and 
true,  which  no  one  had  said,  and  which  he  believed  no 
one  could  say  so  well  as  himself  Such  a  man,  Ruskin 
added,  might  write  a  preface  as  follows: — 'This  is  the 
best  of  me  ;  for  the  rest  I  ate  and  drank  and  slept,  loved 
and  hated  like  another;  my  life  was  as  the  vapour  and 
is  not ;  but  this  I  saw  and  knew — tJiis,  if  anything  of  mine  is 
worth  your  memory.'  'That,'  said  Ruskin,  'is  his  writing, 
it  is  his  inscription  or  scripture — that  is  a  book!  He  would 
urge  all  men  and  women  whose  leisure  for  reading  was 
limited  to  choose  the  books  of  all  time.  They  were  of  every 
kind,  easy  reading  and  hard,  prose  and  poetry,  entertain- 
ing and  abstruse.  The  whole  secret  of  reading  lay  in  the 
one  word  selection.  To  help  them  in  this  read  Carlyle's 
Choice  of  Books,  or  Charles  F.  Richardson  or  Frederick 


THE  K  US  HOLME  BRANCH.  l8i 

Harrison  on  the  same  subject.  Look  over  the  lists  of 
the  best  lOO  books  made  by  competent  authorities,  and 
then  write  out  a  Hst  for  themselves,  and  keep  to  some 
definite  line  of  reading.  But  while  pursuing  the  subject 
to  which  they  decided  to  devote  themselves,  let  them 
not  forget  to  read  some  poetry,  the  art  of  uniting  i)lcasure 
with  truth  by  calling  imagination  to  the  help  of  reason. 
Here  might  our  lads  and  lasses  drink  of  the  well  of 
English  undefiled,  for  in  poetry  our  people  had  truly 
excelled.  The  cultivation  of  the  imagination,  best 
attained  by  reading  poetry,  was,  as  Mr.  Goschen  had 
said,  essential  to  the  highest  success  in  politics,  in 
learning,  and  in  the  commercial  business  of  life.  No  one 
was  too  dull  or  too  prosaic  or  too  much  absorbed  in  the 
routine  of  practical  life  to  be  absolved  from  the  care  of 
his  imaginative  powers,  and  no  one  was  likely  to  find 
that  this  care  would  not  repay  him  even  in  a  practical 
sense.  This  certainl}^  held  good  of  scientific  pursuits,  for 
in  these,  more  perhaps  than  in  any  others,  intuitive 
instinct  or  imagination  led  to  the  discovery  of  truth.  It 
was  in  this  arousing  of  the  imaginative  powers  that  the 
persistent  value  of  the  reading  of  poetry  lay,  for 

Though  the  muse  be  gone  away, 

Though  she  move  not  earth  to-day, 

Souls,  erewhile  who  caught  her  word, 

Ah  !  still  harp  on  what  they  heard. 
Such  lines  of  reading  as  he  had  indicated  would,  if 
properly  followed  out,  not  only  be  a  constant  and  abiding 
source  of  delight  and  refreshment,  but  would  be  the 
means  of  lifting  us  above  those  common,  base,  and 
injurious  amusements,  indulgence  in  which  led  to  certain 
ruin,  and  which  were  the  temptation  of  all  large  towns. 

At  the  close  of  his  speech.  Sir  Henry  Roscoe  filled  up 
the  requisite  form,  and,  handing  it  to  a  young  lady 
attendant,  was  served  with  the  first  book  from  the  lending 
department  of  the  library.  The  title  of  the  book  was 
Electricity  in  the  Service  of  Man. 

Councillor  Southern,  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to 
Sir  Henry  Roscoe,  incidentally  mentioned  that  the 
words  quoted  from  John  Ruskin  were  originally  spoken 
by  Ruskin  in  a  lecture  delivered  in  that  hall,  and  after- 
wards incorporated  in  Sesame  and  Lilies.  For  that 
lecture  by  Ruskin,  and  for  all  the  other  valuable  work 


1-82  THE  LONG  SIGHT  BRANCH. 

they  had  done,  the  citizens  owed  a  debt  of  gratitude  to 
those  who  had  had  the  care  of  that  building  up  to  the 
present  time  He  stated  that  the  arrangements  of  the 
library  included  a  room  for  boys,  and  that  459  volumes 
had  been  set  apart  for  the  use  of  them.  There  were  at 
present  4,000  volumes  in  the  library,  and  it  was  intended 
to  increase  the  number  to  S.ooo. 

The  Venerable  Archdeacon  Anson  seconded  the 
motion,  and  in  doing  so,  said  that  when  he  called  upon 
John  Ruskin  to  arrange  about  the  lecture  referred  to  by 
Mr.  Southern,  Ruskin  asked  him  what  it  was  that  he 
was  to  lecture  about,  and  in  reply  to  the  suggestion  that 
he  should  deal  with  '  his  own  subject,'  he  said,  No  ;  he 
wanted  to  talk  about  books  and  about  the  value  of 
libraries.  On  being  invited  to  give  a  title  for  his  lecture 
Ruskin  said,  '  No  ;  you  must  select  the  title  yourself 
He  suggested  '  What  and  how  to  read,'  or  something 
equally  prosaic,  and  Ruskin  said  that  would  do,  but  he 
afterwards  sent  his  own  title,  '  King's  Treasuries  and 
Queen's  Gardens.' 


THE  LONGSIGHT  BRANCH. 
It  was  in  1854  that  the  establishment  of  a  Literary 
and  Mechanics'  Institution  for  Longsight  which  was  then 
called  a  "  now  populous  and  rapidly  increasing  village," 
was  first  seriously  attempted.  A  preliminary  meeting  was 
held  on  the  loth  August  in  that  year,  under  the  presidency 
of  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Pitcairn,  and  eventually  it  was  resolved, 
on  the  15th  December  following,  to  form  such  an 
institution.  Premises  were  taken,  and  the  opening  tea 
party  was  held  on  Easter  Monday,  9th  April,  1855,  with 
Mr.  Robert  Rumney  in  the  chair,  and  among  the 
speakers  was  Mr.  Harry  Rawson.  The  first  President 
was  Mr.  Richard  Holt,  and  the  Secretary  was  Mr. 
Thomas  Froggatt,  Mr.  Rumney  being  subsequently 
appointed  Chairman  of  Directors.  In  a  short  time 
the  original  quarters  proved  too  small,  and  at  the 
Annual     Meeting    in    January,    1857,   a    movement    was 


THE   L0NGSIGH7    BRANCH.  183 

begun  for  the  provision  of  a  new  building.  Eighteen 
months  afterwards,  on  24th  July,  1858,  the  foundation 
stone  of  the  present  building  was  laid  by  Mr.  Ivie  Mackie, 
Mayor  of  Manchester,  who  also  presided  at  its  formal 
opening  on  ist  March,  1859.  The  cost  amounted  to  about 
;^2,ooo,  over  ;^900  of  which  was  raised  by  a  bazaar — the 
rest  coming  from  public  subscriptions. 

The  Mechanics'  Institution  was  the  most  important 
educational  agency  in  the  district  for  many  years, 
embracing,  as  it  did,  library,  reading  room,  elementary 
school,  and  classes  for  foreign  languages  and  more 
advanced  subjects,  and  many  excellent  series  of  concerts, 
lectures,  and  high-class  entertainments  were  provided 
during  the  early  part  of  its  history.  For  some  time  past, 
however,  owing  to  the  provision  of  increased  facilities 
elsewhere,  the  need  for  the  Institution  was  no  longer  felt, 
its  use  fell  off,  and  ultimately,  in  December,  1890,  the 
Trustees  passed  this  resolution — 

That,  having  regard  to  the  recent  incorporation   of 
Gorton  in  the  City  of  Manchester,  it  is  desirable 
in  the  interest  of  the  members  of  the  Longsight 
Mechanics'    Institution    and    of  the    inhabitants 
of  the   district,  that  the   property   and  effects  of 
the  said   Institution  should  be  transferred,  with 
its  liabilities,  to  the  Manchester  Corporation,  for 
the  purposes  of  a  Free  Library,  or  for  such  other 
public  purposes  not  inconsistent  with  the  original 
objects  of  the  said  Institution. 
Negotiations  were  forthwith  opened  with  the  Corpora- 
tion, and  after  the  Institution  had  been  formally  dissolved 
at  a  meeting  held  on  29th  May,  1891,  the   Public  Free 
Libraries    Committee    entered    into    possession    of    the 
property-. 

The  Longsight  Branch  Free  Library,  formerly  the 
Mechanics'  Institution,  Stockport  Road,  was  opened  by 
Mr.   Alexander  Ireland,   on   the  afternoon    of  Saturday, 


i84  THE   LONGSIGHT  BRANCH. 

July  23,  1892,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  audience.  The 
Mayor  of  Manchester  (Alderman  Bosdin  T.  Leech) 
presided,  and  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  on  the  platform 
included  the  Mayoress,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alexander  Ireland, 
the  Misses  Ireland,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Mills,  Councillor 
J.  W.  Southern  (Chairman  of  the  Free  Libraries  Com- 
mittee), Councillor  Harry  Rawson  (Deputy-Chairman), 
Aldermen  Dr.  Russell,  Hugo  Shaw,  and  Abraham  Lloyd, 
Councillors  Charles  Rowley,  Reynolds,  S.  H.  Brooks, 
Norris,  Hoy,  and  Uttley  ;  the  Rev.  C.  P.  Roberts  (Rector 
of  St.  John's,  Longsight),  the  Rev.  H.  Norburn  (Rector  of 
St.  Agnes's,  Birch),  Messrs.  John  H.  Nodal,  Frank 
Hampson,  Thomas  Ashbury,  C.E.,  W.  H.  Flinn,  G.  H. 
Swindells,  Richard  Gill,  John  Finlayson,  Isaac  Gleave, 
F.  W.  Lean,  S.  Dewar  Lewin,  Charles  W.  Sutton  (Chief 
Librarian),  W.  R.  Credland  (Deputy  Chief  Librarian),  and 
Lawrence  Dillon  (Superintendent  of  branches). 

The  Mayor  said  the  Longsight  Mechanics'  Institution 
dated  back  to  1854,  and  it  had  recently  been  handed 
over  by  the  trustees  to  the  Manchester  Corporation. 
He  was  pleased  that  they  had  on  the  platform  that  after- 
noon Councillor  Harry  Rawson,  Deputy  Chairman  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee,  who  rendered  service  in  the 
establishment  of  the  institution.  Mr.  Rawson  had  long 
laboured,  and  was  still  labouring,  in  the  cause  of  free 
libraries.  There  had  been  a  danger  of  the  librar}'  going 
to  decay,  as  had  been  the  case  with  many  large  subscrip- 
tion libraries  in  Manchester,  notably  the  Portico,  through 
the  falling  away  of  the  original  supporters,  and  the 
advantage  of  the  transference  here  was,  he  believed,  in 
the  permanency  of  the  Corporation.  The  number  of 
books  taken  over  by  the  Corporation  was  2,670,  but  they 
now  started  with  7,495.  The  decrease  of  crime,  the 
quickening  of  intelligence,  and  the  higher  tone  in  amuse- 
ments in  the  county  of  Lancaster,  he  attributed  in  great 
measure  to  education.  But  education  was  a  sword 
which  might  be  used  to  disadvantage  if  the  people  were 
not  taught  how  to  apply  it,  and  he  believed  that  libraries 
did  a  great  deal  in  teaching  its  use.     The  libraries  of  the 


THE  LONG  SIGHT  BRANCH  185 

Manchester  Corporation  were  well  looked  after.  No 
books  were  admitted  that  were  not  instructive,  moral, 
and  of  hijrh  tone.  He  congratulated  Longsight  upon 
having  a  free  library,  and  he  hoped  that  the  young  men 
and  women  of  the  district  would  make  good  use  of  it. 
They  were  favoured  at  the  meeting  with  the  presence  of 
their  old  friend,  Mr.  Alexander  Ireland,  and  they  were 
glad  to  see  him  so  vigorous  in  his  eighty-third  year.  Mr. 
Ireland,  in  addition  to  being  a  literary  man  himself,  had 
been  the  friend  of  Carlyle,  Emerson,  Froude,  Russell 
Lowell,  and  William  and  Robert  Chambers,  and  in  his 
youth  had  conversed  with  Sir  Walter  Scott,  which  was 
something  to  be  very  proud  of 

Mr.  Alexander  Ireland  then  delivered  his  address  as 
follows  : — 

It  is  perhaps  not  altogether  inappropriate  that  the 
Committee  should  have  asked  me  to  deliver  the  opening 
address  on  this  occasion,  for  I  am  the  last  survivor  of  the 
original  committee  which  in  185 1  originated  the  Man- 
chester Free  Library,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  United 
Kingdom,  its  example  being  followed  by  Liverpool  in 
1853,  Birmingham  in  i860,  and  by  Leeds  in  1870.  Forty 
years  have  since  elapsed,  and  there  are  now,  I  rejoice  to 
tell  you,  250  free  libraries  established  and  in  operation 
throughout  the  kingdom,  containing  probably  3^  million 
volumes.  It  is  strange  to  think  that  the  only  one  now 
living  who  assisted  at  the  birth  of  the  first  free  library 
should  this  day  be  taking  a  prominent  part  at  the 
christening  of  the  250th  bantling  of  that  prolific  mother. 
Manchester  contains,  besides  the  Reference  Library,  nine 
lending  libraries  and  reading  rooms,  and  three  reading 
rooms  apart  from  libraries.  In  Salford  there  are  five 
libraries.  The  number  of  books  used  last  }-ear  in  the 
two  towns  was  1,838,722.  We  are  still  far  behind  the 
United  States  in  the  extension  of  free  libraries.  In  the 
State  of  Massachusetts  alone  there  were  a  few  years  ago 
175  free  town  libraries. 

Now,  try  to  realise  what  a  benefit  it  is  to  a  community 
to  have  a  free  library  in  its  midst,  to  have  the  privilege 
of  taking  to  your  home,  free  of  any  cost  whatever,  the 
latest  book  of  travels,  or  biography,  or  essays,  or  fiction, 
or  poetry,  or  philosophy.     To  those  who  feel  a  desire  to 


i86  THE  LONG  SIGHT  BRANCH. 

acquire  knowledge  this  is  an  unmixed  blessing.  Think 
of  the  thousands  of  young  men  and  women  scattered 
among  our  towns,  earning  their  honest  livelihood  by 
various  trades  and  occupations,  some  of  them  of  a  very 
monotonous  and  fatiguing  character — young  persons, 
many  of  them  with  tastes  and  aspirations  above  their 
hurpble  surroundings,  naturally  wishing  to  beguile  their 
hours  of  leisure  in  some  way  that  will  be  pleasant  and 
instructive.  Here  they  have  an  ever-ready  means  of 
access  to  what  will  conduce  to  this  end,  giving  them  what 
they  long  for  and  daily  look  forward  to — gradually 
leading  to  the  formation  of  improved  habits  and  tastes 
which  will  abide  through  life. 

The  opening  of  a  free  library  is  an  important  event  in 
the  history  of  any  community.  It  has  been  truly  said 
that  however  excellent  a  thing  a  school  and  college 
training  may  be,  after  all  the  best  and  most  essential 
part  of  every  man's  education  is  often  that  which  he 
gives  himself  Now,  it  is  for  this  kind  of  self-education 
that  the  free  library  provides  the  opportunity  and  the 
means — assuming  always  that  the  inclination  exists,  and 
that  a  certain  amount  of  guidance  is  available.  Who- 
ever facilitates  access  to  books,  be  he  an  individual  or  a 
corporation  of  individuals,  is  a  permanent  benefactor  of 
his  fellow-men.  One  of  the  wisest  and  most  clear- 
sighted of  Americans,  James  Russell  Lowell,  whom  I  had 
the  privilege  of  knowing,  has  said  finer  and  more  pithy 
things  about  books  and  libraries  than  any  modern  author, 
not  even  excepting  such  kings  in  literature  as  Carlyle, 
Ruskin,  and  Emerson,  and  I  have  somewhere  read  that 
over  the  entrance  to  the  famous  Alexandrian  Library, 
founded  300  years  before  the  Christian  era,  were  inscribed 
these  words — '  The  nourishment  of  the  soul'  Another 
authority  says — '  The  medicine  of  the  soul.'  Nothing 
could  have  been  more  significant  or  appropriate  than 
either  the  one  or  the  other  of  these  inscriptions,  and  they 
are  applicable  to  all  libraries,  whether  public  or  private. 

In  an  address  of  this  kind  my  hearers  might  perhaps 
expect  that  I  should  lay  down  some  rules  of  guidance 
to  readers.  I  would  hesitate  to  do  this,  for  their  selection 
of  books  will  in  most  cases  be  decided  by  some 
determining  consideration  or  circumstance,  or  by  the 
reader's  own  mental  idiosyncrasy.  Some  minds  care 
most  for  the  positive  knowledge  afforded  by  books  of 


THE  LONGSIGHT  BRANCH.  187 

science,  some  prefer  the  excitement  and  stir  and  novelty 
met  with  in  books  of  travel  and  adventure,  others  feel 
strengthened  by  the  examples  of  endurance  and 
perseverance,  the  'plain  living  and  high  thinking,'  the 
struggle  with  difficulties  and  evil  fortunes,  and  the  final 
brave  success,  as  revealed  in  the  most  captivating 
biographies.  Others  take  pleasure  in  following  earnest 
inquirers  after  truth  in  their  examination  of  creeds  and 
beliefs  and  traditions  ;  others,  again,  prefer  to  follow  the 
stately  march  of  history,  or  to  find  their  chief  mental 
sustenance  in  the  most  notable  works  of  imagination 
and  fiction,  whether  in  prose  or  verse.  After  all,  one's 
choice  must  generally  be  determined  by  one's  own  tastes 
and  desires.  *  The  best  books,  it  has  been  said,  for  a  man 
are  not  always  those  which  the  wise  recommend,  but 
oftener  those  which  meet  the  peculiar  wants,  the  natural 
thirst  of  his  mind,  and  which,  therefore,  awaken  interest 
and  rivet  thought.  The  great,  the  essential  matter  is  to 
feel  a  lively  interest  in  what  you  read.  Wise,  sound- 
headed,  practical  Samuel  Johnson  said  :  '  I  would  not 
advise  a  rigid  adherence  to  a  particular  line  of  study.  I 
myself  have  never  persisted  in  any  plan  for  two  days 
together.  A  man  ought  to  read  just  as  inclination  leads 
him,  for  what  he  reads  as  a  task  will  do  him  little 
good.' 

A  great  deal  has  been  written  about  desultory  reading. 
If  a  man  reads  in  the  right  spirit,  and  with  a  relish  for 
what  he  is  reading,  that  reading  may  bring  more  true 
benefit  to  him  than  an  apparently  deeper  and  more 
serious  method  of  study. 

Deprecatory  remarks  are  frequently  heard  regarding 
the  large  proportion  of  volumes  of  works  of  imagination 
and  fiction,  compared  with  those  of  other  departments 
of  literature,  which  is  found  in  many  of  the  free  libraries. 
Now,  a  man  reads  either  for  entertainment  or  instruction. 
I  would  counsel  him  to  mingle  both,  not  allowing  enter- 
tainment to  absorb  too  great  a  portion  of  his  leisure 
hours.  But  to  works  of  imagination  I  attach  very  much 
importance.  '  The  function  of  imaginative  literature,' 
says  John  Morley,  '  is  to  awaken  the  sympathies,  to 
quicken  the  moral  sensibilities,  and  enlarge  our  moral 
vision.'  The  sympathies  and  imagination  of  those  who 
are  engaged  all  day  long  in  dull  and  often  wearisome 
work,  and  whose  surroundings  it  is  not  in  their  power  to 


i88  THE  LONG  SIGHT  BRANCH. 

vary,  are  apt  to  flag  and  become  languid.  To  persons 
in  this  jaded  condition  of  mind  nothing  is  more  refreshing, 
after  the  day's  work,  than  to  spend  an  hour  or  two  in 
reading  wholesome  works  of  imagination.  The  mind 
readily  becomes  interested  in  such  reading,  and  is  not 
taxed' by  it.  The  humble  home  or  lonely  lodging  loses 
its  dulness  and  monotony,  and  its  occupant  escapes  to 
and  lives  amidst  livelier  scenes.  He  becomes  detached, 
as  it  were,  from  his  present  surroundings  by  the  bene- 
ficent gift  of  imagination,  and  for  a  time  inhabits  a 
brighter  world  than  the  one  he  daily  lives  in.  This 
power  of  detachment,  one  of  the  most  blessed  capacities 
of  our  nature,  gradually  but  surely  exercises  its  refining 
influence  and  ministers  to  our  self-dependence. 

Before  passing  from  this  topic,  let  me  suggest  that  the 
supply  of  works  of  fiction,  while  abundant,  should  exclude 
third-rate  and  inferior  productions,  and  everything  that 
is  vicious  or  trashy.  Donations  of  books  considered 
objectionable  should  be  declined  as  being  unsuitable  to 
the  objects  and  aims  of  free  libraries;  which  are  to  safe- 
guard and  strengthen  the  young  against  temptation,  by 
supplying  pure,  wholesome,  and  instructive  reading. 

It  would  add  greatly  to  the  usefulness  of  free  libraries 
if  judicious  lists  of  books  in  the  different  departments  of 
literature  were  drawn  up  by  the  librarians,  and  placed 
within  the  reach  of  readers.  I  should  like  to  see  the 
introduction  of  occasional  lectures  on  the  choice  of 
books,  by  competent  men.  as  an  adjunct  to  the  free 
library  system. 

I  should  like  readers  who  have  a  decided  taste  for 
literature  to  devote  a  few  hours  occasionally  to  our  old 
English  writers — such  as  Bacon,  Milton,  Jeremy  Taylor, 
and  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  and  their  illustrious  con- 
temporaries. 

Let  the  reader  also  become  familiar  with  the  best 
works  of  their  successors — with  Addison,  Defoe,  Gray, 
Fielding,  Sterne,  Goldsmith,  Johnson.  Cowper,  Burke, 
Gibbon,  and  Robert  Burns,  and,  later  on,  Coleridge, 
Wordsworth,  Jane  Austen,  Walter  Scott,  Lamb,  Shelle)-, 
Keats,  Byron,  Hazlitt,  and  Macaulay.  if  they  prefer 
the  writers  nearer  our  own  time,  or  living  authors,  the}- 
have  an  abundant  choice  in  Carlyle,  Emerson,  Lowell, 
Holmes  ;  in  Tennyson,  Browning,  Ruskin,  George  Eliot, 
Hawthorne,    Mrs.    (iaskell,    Charlotte    Bronttf,    Froude, 


THE  LONGSIGHT  BRANCH,  1S9 

Matthew   Arnold,  Lecky,  Herbert  Spencer,  J.  S.    Mill, 
Frederick  Harrison,  and  John  Morley. 

Besides  the  treasures  of  thought  embodied  in  the 
works  of  these  masters  of  thought,  let  it  be  noted  how 
they  have  inaintained  the  strength  and  precision,  as  well 
as  the  variety,  of  the  English  language — in  some  instances 
reaching  a  vividness  and  power  not  previously  attained 
in  our  literature.  It  is  an  education  in  itself  to  study 
and  compare  these  various  styles  in  all  their  diversities — 
each  attained  and  perfected  by  subtle  processes  of  thought 
and  selection,  forming  the  finest  outcome  of  cultivated 
intellect. 

I  earnestly  hope  that  this  library  may  be  the  means 
of  ministering  to  the  moral  and  intellectual  needs  of 
many  thoughtful  persons  who  seek  in  books  something 
higher  than  amusement  or  mere  passive  enjoyment, 
although  I  freely  admit  the  claims  of  both  amusement 
and  passive  enjoyment,  when  the  bow  requires  to  be 
relaxed.  What  I  mean  by  something  higher  is  the 
inspiration  and  quickening  influence  of  high  aims  and 
noble  and  worthy  purposes.  May  the  best  use  of  this 
library  be  to  strengthen  good  resolutions  in  the  young 
in  the  direction  of  manfulness  and  self-help ;  may  it 
teach  the  salutary  lesson  how  to  enjoy  a  little  thankfiilly 
and  hozv  to  endure  much  bravely^  leading  to  a  habit  of 
mind  which  has  no  sympathy  with  frivolity,  irreverence, 
or  debasing  views  of  life.  May  the  use  of  it  implant  in 
the  minds  of  many  a  love  of  literature  and  science  which 
will  beautify  their  daily  existence  and  render  it  happier 
and  more  bearable.  May  it  teach  the  lesson  of  patience 
and  hopeful  endeavour  under  difficulties  and  hindrances. 
It  is  not  always  a  disadvantage  to  have  to  struggle  with 
these.  On  the  contrary,  difficulties  often  prove  to  be 
a  beneficent  discipline,  since  they  stimulate  endeavour 
and  call  forth  the  power  to  breast  and  conquer  them. 
If  this  institution  in  the  course  of  its  existence  should  be 
found  helpful  to  some  who  have  passed  middle  life  or 
arrived  at  old  age,  to  some  to  whom  ill-health  or  sorrow 
has  brought  weary  hours,  it  will  always  redound  to  the 
credit  and  honour  of  its  founders  that  by  its 
aid  the  monotony  of  these  hours  has  been  lightened 
or  their  tediousness  beguiled.  The  greatest  of  medita- 
tive poets,  Wordsworth,  has  said  in  one  of  his  finest 
sonnets — 


I90  THE  LONGSIGHT  BRANCH. 

Books,  we  know, 
Are  a  substantial  world,  both  pure  and  good, 
Round  these,  with  tendrils  strong  as  flesh  and  blood. 
Our  pastime  and  our  happiness  will  grow. 

Assuredly  an  intimate  communion  with  the  minds  of  the 
wisest  and  most  gifted  of  our  race  rarely  fails  to  bring 
with  it  not  only  patience  and  hope  wherewith  to  meet 
the  inevitable  cares  and  disappointments  of  life,  but  also 
fortitude  to  bear  its  worst  calamities. 

Councillor  Southern  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr. 
Ireland  for  his  address.  He  said,  as  Chairman  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee,  he  wished  to  refer  to  those 
by  whose  sagacious  liberality  this  building  had  become 
the  property  of  the  ratepayers  of  the  city.  In  the 
changes  which  occurred  from  year  to  year  there  was  a 
little  danger  of  forgetting  persons  who  had  done  pioneer 
work.  The  meeting  had  heard  from  the  Mayor  some- 
thing of  the  history  of  the  Longsight  Mechanics'  Institu- 
tion. He  was  interested,  in  looking  over  the  minute 
books,  to  find  that  from  the  early  days  an  endeavour 
was  made  to  popularise  the  institution  by  means  of  occa- 
sional lectures  and  concerts.  A  handbill  set  forth  that 
'on  November  2,  1855,  the  next  lecture  of  the  course 
will  be  delivered  by  Mr.  Harry  Rawson,  the  subject  being 
"  English  song  and  glee  writers." '  The  free  library  at 
Longsight  was  one  of  a  ring  of  suburban  libraries  which 
the  Corporation  hoped  to  secure  for  the  people.  The 
Corporation  owed  a  great  deal  to  the  old  Newton  Heath 
Local  Board  for  the  library  which  had  been  provided  for 
that  district,  and  recently  one  had  been  opened  in 
Rusholme. 

Mr.  Ireland  then  declared  the  library  open,  and  he 
asked  the  librarian  to  hand  him,  as  the  first  borrower, 
'  the  greatest  book  in  the  world — S/iakspcre's  Plays,  a 
book  that  will  live  to  the  end  of  the  world.' 

The  Longsight  Branch  soon  became  so  exceedingly 
successful,  being  situated  in  a  populous  district  where  the 
attractions  and  means  of  instruction  it  affords  are  strongly 
appreciated,  that  the  accommodation  originally  provided 
was,  in  1895,  considerably  increased. 


THE   CHESTER  ROAD   READING  ROOM.  191 

THE   CHESTER   ROAD   READING    ROOM. 

Still  another  generous  proposal  was  made  to  the 
Corporation  about  the  same  time.  The  Legatees  of  Sir 
Joseph  Whitworth  had  undertaken  the  erection  at  Open- 
shaw  of  a  range  of  buildings  which  should  include  a  public 
hall,  recreation  rooms,  and  a  library  and  reading  room. 
They  offered  to  present  to  the  Corporation  land  worth 
^2,200  for  the  site,  and  i^6,ooo  towards  the  cost  of  the 
building.  Their  gifts  were  gratefully  accepted,  and  the 
building  was  completed  for  a  total  cost  of  about  ;!^  15,000, 
the  cost  to  the  Committee  of  the  library  portion  being 
about  ;^4,ooo. 

Simultaneously  with  the  erection  of  the  Openshaw 
Branch,  the  committee  carried  on  the  building  of  a  branch 
in  the  newly-incorporated  district  of  Gorton,  and  of  a 
reading  room  in  Chester  Road.  The  first  of  these  new 
institutions  completed  and  opened  was  the  Chester  Road 
Reading  Room. 

On  Saturday  afternoon,  March  31st,  1894,  the  new 
reading  room  was  opened  by  Councillor  Harry  Rawson, 
Deputy-Chairman  of  the  Committee.  The  building  is 
nearly  opposite  St.  George's  Church,  Hulme,  and  consists 
of  two  stories,  the  lower  one  forming  a  boys'  reading 
room,  and  the  upper  one  a  general  reading  room.  In 
connection  with  these  are  the  usual  attendants'  rooms, 
heating  chamber,  and  other  accommodation.  The 
general  reading  room  will  comfortably  accommodate 
150  adults,  and  every  convenience  has  been  provided 
for  the  comfort  of  readers.  No  effort  has  been  spared 
to  make  the  room  as  beautiful  as  possible  in  the  simple 
way  rendered  necessary  by  the  sum  allowed  for  its 
erection.  The  shelves  allotted  for  maps  and  books  of 
reference  are  arranged  under  a  canopy,  a  feature  of  the 
interior  specially  designed  by  the  architect  to  soften  away 


192  THE    CHESTER   ROAD   READING   ROOM. 

the  ugliness  caused  by  a  right  of  h'ght  possessed  by  the 
adjoining  landowner.  The  fittings  and  furniture  are  made 
of  ash,  and  the  wood  has  been  stained  and  polished  an 
agreeable  shade  of  green.  The  exterior  of  the  building 
to  Chester  Road  is  faced  with  Ruabon  bricks,  with  the 
windows,  doors,  parapets,  &c.,  in  Doulton  ware  terracotta. 
The  architect,  from  whose  designs  and  under  whose 
superintendence  the  building  has  been  erected,  was 
Mr.  J.  G.  Sankey,  M.A.,  of  York  Street,  Manchester. 

The  Lord  Mayor  of  Manchester,  Alderman  Marshall, 
presided,  and  amongst  those  present  were  the  Lady 
Mayoress,  Councillor  J.  W.  Southern  (Chairman  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee),  Councillor  Rawson,  Mr. 
Alexander  Ireland,  Canon  Crane,  Aldermen  Hoy,Crosfield, 
Gibson,  and  Lovett  Reade,  Mr.  R.  A.  Armitage,  Mr.  J.  F. 
Furness,  Councillors  J.  H.  Greenhow,  J.  Norris,  W.  T. 
Rothvvell,  Dr.  Daly,  T.  C.  Abbott,  J.  E.  Phythian,  H. 
Plummer,  W.  Simpson,  the  Rev.  G.  Cranstone,  Mr.  J. 
Bingham,  Dr.  Worswick,  Mr.  Registrar  Smith,  and 
Mr.  C.  W.  Sutton  (Chief  Librarian). 

Mr.  Southern,  at  the  commencement  of  the  proceed- 
ings, said  that  that  readingroom  was  the  thirteenth 
branch  of  the  Free  Library.  It  embraced  two  depart- 
ments. One  was  a  reading  room  for  adults,  supplied 
with  a  careful  selection  of  the  best  newspapers  and 
magazines,  and  about  350  volumes  of  books  for  reference 
in  the  room,  but  not  for  lending  out.  There  were  21 
daily  newspapers  (without  counting  duplicates),  35 
weekly  journals,  and  22  monthly  magazines.  The  other 
department  was  the  boys'  reading  room,  in  which 
between  300  and  400  volumes  suitable  for  juvenile 
readers  were  placed  at  the  disposal  of  such  members  of 
the  rising  generation  as  cared  to  come.  There  were  also 
about  a  dozen  magazines  taken  in  for  their  use.  The 
general  reading  room  would  be  open  every  week  day 
from  8-30  a.m.  to  10  p.m.,  and  on  Sundays  from  2  to  9 
p.m.  The  boys'  room  would  be  open  from  six  to  nine 
each  evening,  including  Sunday. 


THE    CHESTER   ROAD   READING   ROOM.  193 

The  Lord  Mayor  then  said  it  must  be  a  matter  of 
congratulation  to  all  true  and  loyal  citizens  that  such 
privileges  were  to  be  afforded  by  that  reading  room  to 
the  citizens  in  that  district.  It  was  also  a  matter  for 
congratulation  that  the  Corporation  were  always  disposed 
and  anxious  to  liberally  dispense  the  powers  committed 
to  them  by  Parliament  for  the  benefit  of  the  citizens 
generally.  Education  was  one  of  the  great  features  of 
the  present  day,  and  they  all  recognised  that  the  more 
information  the  citizens  possessed,  both  of  outside 
matters  and  of  matters  that  more  particularly  appertained 
to  this  great  city,  the  better.  The  city  had  been  immensely 
improved  in  the  last  generation  in  every  respect,  and  in 
no  way  more  than  in  the  matter  of  education.  He 
believed  that  the  more  the  citizens  knew  of  the  affairs 
of  the  city  and  of  the  administration  of  the  municipal 
government  of  the  city  the  more  contented  they  would 
be,  and  the  more  loyal  citizens  they  would  become. 
Great  benefits  had  been  derived  from  the  establishment 
of  the  free  libraries  which  now,  thanks  to  the  energy  of 
the  Committee,  existed  in  every  district  of  the  city. 
The  Committee  were  always  ready  to  conform  to  the 
desires  of  the  citizens,  and  thereby  to  contribute  as  far 
as  possible  not  only  to  their  intellectual  welfare,  but  to 
their  social  benefit  and  comfort.  There  could  be  no 
question  that  the  establishment  of  free  libraries  had 
contributed  immensely  not  only  to  the  education  of  the 
people,  but  to  the  diminution  of  those  erratic  proceedings 
which  used  to  prevail  in  the  public  streets  when  the 
young  men  and  women  and  the  boys  and  girls  had 
nowhere  else  to  resort  to  in  an  evening  to  spend  their 
leisure  hours  with  comfort,  with  pleasure,  and  with  profit. 
They  went  now  into  the  various  free  libraries  and  reading 
rooms,  and  those  who  lived  in  that  district  would  now 
have  an  opportunity  of  enjoying  in  that  beautiful  room 
the  privileges  to  which  he  had  alluded,  and  which  would 
certainly  tend  to  improve  their  social  and  moral  condition, 
and  enable  them  to  grow  up  to  be  true  and  loyal  citizens. 

Mr.  Rawson  in  declaring  the  room  open,  said  their 
purpose  that  afternoon  was  to  dedicate  the  Chester  Road 
Branch  of  the  Public  Free  Library  to  the  perpetual  use 
of  the  ratepayers.  They  hoped  it  might  prove  a 
centre  of  intellectual  light,  a  source  of  ameliorating 
N 


94  THE    CHESTER   ROAD  READING   ROOM. 

influences,  moral  and  social,  especially  to  the  neighbour- 
hood in  which  it  was  placed.  It  was  the  most  recent, 
but  happily  would  be  by  no  means  the  last,  product  of 
the  activities  of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee,  and  of 
their  earnest  desire  to  extract  from  the  limited  resources 
at  their  command  the  utmost  available  benefit  for  their 
fellow-citizens  at  large.  But  there  was  yet  ample  field 
of  usefulness  awaiting  the  care  and  cultivation  of  the 
Free  Libraries  Committee.  Part  of  it  would  shortly  be 
occupied  at  Gorton,  where  new  premises  were  nearly 
completed,  and  part  in  Openshaw,  where,  aided  with 
generous  donations  of  land  and  money  by  the  Legatees 
of  the  late  Sir  Joseph  Whitworth,  a  spacious  building 
would  be  opened.  The  township  of  Blackley  had  for 
some  time  pressed  its  claims  for  the  advantages  enjoyed 
by  other  districts.  Again,  the  Reference  Library  urgently 
demanded  additional  accommodation.  Its  capacity  was 
stretched  to  the  uttermost,  and  many  hundreds  of  its 
100,000  volumes  were  hidden  away  in  remote  and 
unsuitable  places.  Behind  it  was  a  plot  of  land,  the 
property  of  the  Committee,  which  had  been  vacant  for 
many  years,  an  eyesore  and  an  offence  in  one  of 
the  greatest  and  most  central  of  our  thoroughfares. 
It  ought  immediately  to  be  utilised,  and  plans  had 
long  been  under  consideration.  But  this  crying 
need  and  the  other  requirements  he  had  mentioned 
could  not  at  present  be  met  from  the  lack  of  adequate 
pecuniary  means.  He  thought  it  a  reasonable  ambition 
to  place  a  news  and  reading  room  at  any  rate  in  every 
ward  of  the  city — save  in  the  few  which  were  mainly 
occupied  by  business  premises,  and  had  therefore  but  a 
sparse  residential  population.  To  him  it  had  ever  been 
an  insoluble  mystery  that  the  Free  Libraries  Committee 
should  be  singled  out  for  restrictions  on  its  income  from 
which  every  other  department  of  Corporation  activity 
was  exempt.  He  could  not  but  regard  it  as  the  product 
of  a  prejudice  that  was  unworthy,  and  of  a  distrust  which 
experience  had  demonstrated  to  be  undeserved.  The 
educational  value  of  their  work,  and  the  careful,  exem- 
plary, and  most  laudable  manner  in  which  the  books 
were  used  by  the  people,  demanded  a  grateful  appreci- 
ation. Did  they  not  deserve  an  extension  of  facilities 
who,  as  in  the  case  of  their  own  fellow-citizens,  returned 
from  their  homes  undamaged  and  safe  more  than  three- 


THE   CHESTER   ROAD   READING  ROOM.  195 

quarters  of  a  million  volumes  per  annum  ?  And  surely  it 
was  obvious  that  the  different  School  Boards  would  every 
year  create  a  fresh  harvest  of  borrowers,  especially  if  they 
would  refrain  from  scattering  the  attention  of  their  pupils 
over  too  wide  a  curriculum,  and  would  give  them  such  a 
mastery  over  the  elements  of  learning  as  would  render 
reading  easy  and  delightful.  This  argument  for  increased 
resources  might  be  extended  with  equal  propriety  to  the 
probable  results  of  technical  and  of  continuation  schools. 
All  would  tend  to  multiply  the  duties  and  enlarge  the 
responsibilities  of  Free  Library  Committees  in  Man- 
chester and  elsewhere,  as  would  also  every  thousand  of 
increase  in  the  population.  Why,  then,  should  pecuniary 
fetters  be  allowed  longer  to  restrict  and  starve  the 
development  of  institutions  which  had  already  done  so 
much,  and  were  admittedly  capable  of  a  yet  larger 
extension,  in  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  and  the  pro- 
motion of  culture  and  refinement.  The  principle  he 
contended  for  was  that  Library  Committees  should  be 
treated  with  the  same  confidence  as  to  the  economical 
expenditure  of  their  means  as  was  accorded  to  every 
other  committee  of  the  Corporation.  '  I  conclude,'  he 
said,  '  v/ith  the  expression  of  an  earnest  hope  for  a  long 
career  of  usefulness  and  success  to  the  Chester  Road 
Public  Reading  Room,  which  I  have  now  the  pleasure 
to  declare  open.' 

Canon  Crane,  in  proposing  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr. 
Rawson,  said  he  thought  that  was  one  of  the  brightest 
days  he  had  seen  for  the  last  twenty-three  years.  When 
he  first  came  to  that  parish  he  found  that  there  was 
nothing  whatever  to  amuse  or  to  engage  the  attention  of 
the  people  of  the  parish.  If  the  people  of  such  parishes 
as  St.  George's  were  compelled  by  the  force  of  circum- 
stances to  reside  in  houses  that  he  called  kennels,  and 
into  which  he  would  not  put  a  dog  that  he  loved,  it  was 
absolutely  imperative  that  they  should  have  some  place 
where  they  could  be  free  from  an  atmosphere  which  was 
enough  to  poison  any  moral  or  social  feeling.  He  there- 
fore congratulated  the  people  of  that  parish  and  that 
part  of  Hulme  on  the  acquisition,  by  the  liberality,  the 
thoug'ht,  and  the  care  of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee, 
of  that  room.  No  one  would  be  able  to  pass  along 
Chester  Road   now  without  seeinir  the  strone  contrast 


196  THE    GORTON  BRANCH. 

between  \\\^e.  facade  of  that  beautiful  building  and  some 
of  the  hovels  which  were  still  to  be  seen  on  the  front  of 
the  road,  and  he  only  prayed  that  a  time  would  come 
when  those  houses  also  would  be  improved  out  of  the 
way. 

Mr.  T.  Parkinson  seconded  the  resolution,  which  was 
adopted. 

THE  GORTON  BRANCH. 
The  next  building  ready  for  dedication  to  the  public 
service  was  the  Gorton  Branch.  In  the  presence  of  a 
large  number  of  interested  spectators,  the  new  library 
was  opened  on  Saturday  afternoon.  May  5th,  1894,.  by 
Dr.  A.  W.  Ward,  the  distinguished  Principal  of  Owens 
College.  The  new  building  is  situated  at  the  junction  of 
Gorton  Lane  and  Belle  Vue  Street,  West  Gorton.  The 
shape  of  the  site  suggested  an  octagonal  plan  for  a  portion - 
of  the  building,  and  this  has  been  adopted,  the  section  at 
the  union  of  the  two  streets  being  an  octagon  measuring 
29ft.  6in.  in  diameter,  communicating  by  wide  arched 
openings  with  two  wings,  each  21ft.  wide,  facing  the 
streets,  the  portion  between  them  forming  an  open  area  for 
light.  The  ground  floor  is  kept  up  6ft.  above  the  street 
Uevel  in  order  to  give  good  light  to  the  basement 
ifloor,  in  which  is  a  boys'  reading  room,  book  store, 
^nd  heating  apparatus.  The  entrance  to  the  building 
IS  in  Belle  Vue  Street,  and  a  wide  staircase  leads 
up  to  the  first  floor  and  down  to  the  basement,  the  stair- 
case hall  having  an  octagonal  end,  with  large  windows 
lighted  from  the  area.  To  the  left  of  the  entrance  on  the 
ground  floor  is  the  library,  which,  with  the  rooms  for  the 
attendants,  occupies  the  whole  of  that  story.  The  library 
is  fitted  with  bookcases,  counter  for  borrowers,  catalogue 
desk,  &c.,  all  constructed  of  pitch  pine,  stained  and  var- 
nished.    It  is  well  liehted  with  larsje  windows  on  all  sides. 


THE   GORTON  BRANCH.  I97 

The  first  floor  is  entirely  occupied  by  the  reading  room, 
and  is  fitted  up  with  newspaper  racks  and  reading  tables, 
and  a  small  bookcase  for  reference  books.  It  is  a  lofty 
room,  ceiled  half  way  up  to  the  roof,  and  lighted  by 
windows  on  all  sides,  skylights  over  the  wings,  and  a 
lantern  light  over  the  octagon.  Special  attention  has  been 
given  to  the  artificial  lighting  and  ventilation  throughout. 
A  number  of  ventilation  flues  have  been  carried  up  in  the 
walls,  and  into  these  are  passed  the  tubes  from  the  venti- 
lating sunlights.  For  the  inlet  of  fresh  air,  hopper 
casements  are  fixed  in  many  parts  of  the  building.  The 
warming  of  the  building  is  accomplished  with  hot  water  in 
pipes  and  radiators.  The  elevations  are  faced  with  grey 
bricks,  with  red  terra  cotta  in  windows,  door,  cornice,  and 
string  courses.  A  feature  has  been  made  of  the  octagonal, 
which  is  covered  by  a  nipped  roof,  and  this  is  crowned  by 
a  square  clock  turret,  the  total  height  from  street  level  to 
top  of  the  iron  vane  being  about  8ift.  The  clock,  which 
has  four  illuminated  dials,  each  4ft.  6in.  diameter,  is  a 
prominent  feature  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  cost  of  the 
building  and  fittings  has  been  about  ^4,100,  and  the 
whole  of  the  work  has  been  carried  out  from  the  designs 
and  under  the  superintendence  of  Messrs.  J.  W.  and  R.  F. 
Beaumont,  architects,  Manchester.  The  library  is  fur- 
nishedTvith  4,616  volumes,  and,  though  they  do  not  form 
a  large  collection,  care  has  been  taken  to  make  it  fairly 
representative  of  the  best  modern  popular  literature. 
There  are,  in  addition,  432  volumes  set  apart  for  boys  in 
the  reading  room  devoted  specially  to  their  use  ;  and  in 
the  general  reading  room  there  is  a  bookcase  containing  130 
volumes  of  encyclopaedias,  dictionaries,  and  other  books  of 
reference.  This  room  is  also  furnished  with  an  ample 
supply  of  the  most  popular  magazines  and  newspapers  of 
the  day. 


198  THE    GORTON  BRANCH. 

Councillor  J.  W.  Southern  (Chairman  of  the  Libraries 
Committee)  presided  ;  and  on  the  platform  were  Dr.  A. 
W.  Ward,  Councillor  Harry  Rawson  (Deputy-Chairman 
of  the  Libraries  Committee),  Aldermen  Crosfield,  Leech, 
Hoy,  and  Higginbottom,  Councillors  W.  H.  Wainwright, 
C.  Jennison,  J.  Phythian,  Uttley,  Rothwell,  Norris,  Mr. 
Alexander  Ireland,  and  Mr.  Charles  W.  Sutton  (Chief 
Librarian).  Amongst  those  in  the  audience  were  Rev.  F. 
Cuthbert,  Mr.  C.  H.  Bullock,  Mr.  J.  Finlayson,  Rev.  F. 
Francis,  Mr.  Henry  Caddick,  Mr.  William  Macbeth,  Mr. 
W.  H.  Beastow,  Mr.  W.  H.  Chadwick,  Mr.  W.  F.  Broadhead, 
Mr.  Eli  Rowcroft,  and  others. 

The  Chairman  said  they  had  met  to  inaugurate  the 
establishment  of  the  free  library  for  the  Gorton  Ward. 
It  was  one  of  the  consequences  of  the  amalgamation  of 
a  portion  of  Gorton  with  the  City  of  Manchester.  When 
the  representatives  of  the  Gorton  district  came  to 
negotiate  with  the  members  of  the  Council  as  to 
amalgamation  they  proved  themselves  keen  business 
men,  and  they  wanted  to  know  what  would  be  the 
advantages  they  would  gain  by  entering  the  city.  They 
set  forth  their  requirements,  and  among  the  rest  they 
specified  that  there  should  be  provided  for  the  people  of 
the  district  a  free  library.  The  representatives  of  the 
city  were  ready  and  willing  to  give  the  promise,  and  that 
day  they  had  come  there  to  witness  its  fulfilment.  The 
site  had  been  selected  by  and  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  the  representatives  of  the  ward.  They  had 
looked  well  over  the  district,  various  places  were 
suggested,  and  the  site  which  in  their  judgment  was  the 
best  had  been  chosen.  Standing  as  the  library  did  at 
that  point  where  so  many  ways  converged,  he  thought  it 
a  very  convenient  and  central  position.  That  was  not 
the  first  free  library  they  had  had  in  Gorton.  It  was  an 
interesting  fact  to  know  that  more  than  240  years  ago 
the  good  Humphrey  Chetham,  who  founded  the  Chetham 
Hospital  in  Manchester,  left  a  sum  of  £30  with  which 
to  provide  a  library  of  godly  and  sound  books  for 
Gorton.  There  seemed  to  be  some  fear  that  the  people 
might  get  away  with  the  books,  and  so  he  ordered  that 


THE    GORTON  BRANCH.  I99 

the  books  should  be  chained  to  a  desk.  Whether  it  was 
that  there  was  a  great  improvement  in  public  morals  in 
these  days,  or  whether  it  was  that  it  was  a  mistaken 
notion  then,  he  did  not  know,  but  it  was  a  fact  that  last 
year  there  were  1,400,000  books  issued  from  the  Man- 
chester Free  Libraries,  and  he  was  within  the  literal 
truth  when  he  said  that  there  were  not  purloined  books 
to  the  value  of  ^^5.  That  was  a  testimony  to  the 
honesty  and  care  of  the  people  of  Manchester,  that  when 
a  good  thing  was  provided  for  their  use  they  knew  how 
to  use  and  not  to  abuse  it.  He  hoped  their  new  library 
would  prove  to  be  a  valuable,  useful,  and  appreciated 
public  institution. 

Dr.  Ward,  in  declaring  the  library  open,  said  he  highly 
appreciated  the  compliment  they  paid  him  in  inviting 
him  to  open  the  new  free  library  in  Gorton.  It  was  said 
that  this  was  to  be  known  as  Manchester's  wonderful 
year  or  year  of  wonders,  and  certainly  no  part  of  their 
community  had  or  would  have  better  reason  or  better 
.  right  to  share  in  the  elation  which  the  great  engineering 
triumphs  consummated  in  this  year  had  produced  in 
them  all  than  that  district  of  Gorton  and  its  neighbour- 
hood. It  was  the  more  gratifying  to  think  that  in  this 
wonderful  year  Gorton's  share  in  the  benefits,  the  advan- 
tages, and  the  nobler  pleasures  of  their  common  life  in 
that  city  was  likewise  being  extended  and  increased  ; 
nor  was  it  merely  because  the  occupations  and  enjoy- 
ments of  his  own  life  had  been  so  largely  concerned  with 
books  that  he  cordially  congratulated  them  on  attaining 
to  the  possession  of  a  branch  free  library  of  their  own. . 
They  might  well  feel  proud  of  the  expansion  of  the  free 
library  system  in  Manchester,  since  more  than  forty 
years'ago  the  Manchester  public  free  library  was  opened 
at  Campfield  ;  proud  of  the  influence  which  Manchester 
public  spirit  had  exercised  both  upon  the  legislation 
which  had  developed  that  expansion  under  the  condi- 
tions, not  of  a  benevolent  institution,  but  of  an  organised 
department  of  civic  activity  ;  proud,  too,  of  the  devoted 
and  efficient  administration  of  that  department  by  the 
committee  which  had  conducted  it,  and  by  the  officers 
whose  trained  skill  and  applied  scholarship  had  made 
the  Manchester  Free  Library  and  its  branches  the 
admiration,  if  not  the  envy,  of  other  great  English  towns. 


ioo  THE   GORTON  BRANCH. 

Manchester  had  many  libraries  of  varied  value  and 
importance,  and  would  before  long,  as  they  knew,  have 
more.  There  was  not  a  scholar  in  this  part  of  the  country 
but  cherished  towards  the  Chetham  Library  that  kind  of 
reverent  affection  which  historical,  local,  and  personal 
associations  continued  to  evoke.  Soon  the  splendour  of 
the  unrivalled  collection  which  the  munificence  of  Mrs. 
Rylands  had  acquired  would  burst  upon  their  dazzled 
eyes ;  and  it  might  interest  them  to  know  that  Lord 
Spencer,  the  former  owner  of  those  unique  treasures, 
generously  wrote  to  him  that,  as  they  must  leave  Althorp, 
there  was  no  place  where  he  would  rather  they  should 
find  another  home  than  in  Manchester.  Their  students' 
library  at  Owens  College,  after  being  enlarged  by  many 
generous  benefactors,  was  recently  presented  with  a  most 
valuable  historical  collection  by  the  Legatees  of  their  late 
neighbour,  Sir  Joseph  Whitworth.  That  librar}-  was 
soon  to  be  housed  in  an  appropriate  building  at  the 
personal  cost  of  their  generous  friend — himself  a  book 
lover  of  the  real  sort — Mr.  R.  Copley  Christie.  All 
those  and  other  libraries  Manchester  commanded,  or 
would  command,for  theuse  of  different  classes  of  students 
and  readers  ;  but  the  free  public  library  and  its  branches 
would  remain  pre-eminent,  like  the  agora  of  a  great  and 
free  city,  to  meet  and  serve  the  general  public  need, 
which  in  particular  directions  those  other  collections 
would,  he  trusted,  under  fitting  regulations  with  the  same 
freedom  supplement.  A  good  time,  therefore,  was 
coming,  nay,  had  already  come,  for  readers  in  Man- 
chester ;  but  a  time  which,  like  other  good  times  would, 
unless  its  harvest  were  to  droop  and  wither  away,  need 
forethought  and — if  he  might  venture  on  the  suggestion 
— co-operation  and  co-ordination  :  things  which  were, 
no  doubt,  more  easily  talked  of  than  accomplished,  but 
which  it  was  culpable  folly  to  ignore  in  view  of  the 
ever-growing  possibilities  and  opportunities  of  the  future. 
Let  them  preserve  their  libraries  and  enlarge  their  stores, 
and  while  continually  developing  what  was  so  excellent 
in  their  present  administration  and  management,  not 
overlook  their  relations  to  one  another,  and,  should  it 
prove  possible,  continue  in  devising  means  which  might 
render  still  more  beneficially  wide  their  use  by  every 
section  of  that  vast  and  thriving,  and  not  altogether 
unthoughtful    community.     He    would    not   warn  them 


GORTON     BRANCH. 


THE   GORTON  BRANCH.  201 

against  certain  common  abuses  of  reading  since  for 
the  most  part  they  were  of  a  kind  unlikely  to  be 
committed  in  that  place,  where  there  was,  we  had  a 
right  to  assume  so  earnest  and  genuine  a  desire  of 
turning  to  good  account  the  great  and  bounteous 
blessing — for  he  held  it  nothing  less — which  was  to  be 
placed  at  their  disposal.  As  well,  he  said,  might  I  warn 
you  against  reading  not  books,  but  the  backs  of  books — 
an  odd  tendency  which  was  thus  described  hy  a  satirist 
of  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  which  it 
is  a  comfort  to  think  is  now  nearly  four  centuries  out  of 
date  : — 

Lo  !  in  lyke  wyse  of  bokys  I  have  store, 
But  fewe  I  rede,  and  fewer  understande ; 
I  folowe  not  theyr  doctryne  nor  theyr  lore  ; 
It  is  ynough  to  here  a  boke  in  hande ; 
It  were  to  moche  to  be  it  such  a  bande 
For  to  be  bounde  to  loke  within  the  boke ; 
I  am  content  on  the  fayre  coverynge  to  loke. 

Why  sholde  I  stody  to  hurt  my  wyt  thereby  ? 
Or  trouble  my  mynd  with  stody  excessive, 
Sythe  many  ar  which e  stody  right  besely, 
And  yet  thereby  shall  they  never  thryve  \ 
The  fruyte  of  Wysdom  can  they  not  contryve, 
And  many  to  stody  so  moche  are  inclynde, 
That  utterly  they  fall  out  of  theyr  mynde. 

We,  in  a  public  and  popular  library,  designed  for  public 
and  popular  use  and  enjoyment,  are  not  much  hurt  by 
taunts  which  may  have  had  their  point  in  times  when 
books  were  either  choice  treasures  or  costly  toys ;  and, 
if  you  please,  1  will  conclude  by  imagining — and  this 
without  very  much  stretch  or  difficulty — a  type  of  reader. 
I  will  call  him — or  her  the  happy  reader,  as  a  great  poet 
called  a  human  being  who  seeks  to  fulfil  the  best  pur- 
poses of  his  humanity  the  '  happy  warrior ' — 

He 
That  every  man  in  arms  would  wish  to  be. 

We  will  not  over-credit  this  happy  reader;  let  him  be, 
for  argument's  sake,  a  youth  engaged,  as  would  accord 
with  the  chief  industry  of  this  district,  in  the  arduous 


02  THE    GORTON  BRANCH. 

task  of  gaining  skill  and  experience  in  a  complicated 
and  laborious  mechanical  craft;  or  let  her  be  a  woman 
who  seeks  a  refuge  from  the  more  circumscribed  range 
and  pettier  sphere  of  daily  work  and  daily  cares  which 
are  women's  ordinary  lot  in  the  larger  world  of  art  to 
which  in  her  turn  she  brings  quicker  and  more  catholic 
sympathies;  or  let  him  be,  what  most  readers  are,  not 
quite  so  young  as  they  were  yesterday,  and  trusting  to 
books,  as  others  trust  to  less  comprehensive  forms  of 
art  than  literature,  or  to  nature,  of  which  all  art  is  but 
a  reproduction  which  masters  achieve  and  everybody 
else  bungles ;  trusting  to  books  I  say,  for  the  few 
moments  of  refreshment  and  relief  we  allow  ourselves  to 
snatch  in  our  weekly  whirl.  Well,  I  say  we  will  not 
credit  this  happy  reader  with  more  qualities  than  he  or 
she  can  be  expected  to  bear :  but  we  will  credit  him 
with  what  is  necessary  in  order  that  he  should  be  a 
happy  reader  and  deserve  his  chances.  He  is  then 
possessed  of  three  things  needful ;  and  of  these  the  first 
is  enthusiasm,  or,  in  other  words,  an  eagerness  to  learn, 
and  a  prompt  mind  and  grateful  heart,  towards  all 
opportunities  of  learning.  He  may  not  know,  and  yet 
it  is  very  true,  that  the  least  confined  of  sciences  and  the 
most  ethereal  of  arts  are  precisely  those  that  admit  no 
half-hearted  pilgrims,-  no  desultory  visitors  on  an 
unoccupied  evening,  into  their  sanctuary.  Coyest  of  all 
are  the  proudest  of  the  sciences,  those  which  are 
concerned  with  the  eternal  principles  of  things,  physics, 
mathematics,  and  the  mental  science  which  speaks  in 
oracles,  and  often  in  oracles  of  verse.  Again,  our  happy 
reader  is  possessed  of  discernment,  and  with  it  of  that 
self-knowledge  which  teaches  where  to  proceed  and  where 
to  refrain.  In  his  choice  of  books,  as  in  his  choice  of  all 
those  conditions  and  circumstances  of  his  life  which  are 
under  his  control  (and  these  are  not  excessively 
numerous  for  most  of  us),  he  allows  something  for  the 
bent  of  his  nature,  something  for  the  number  of  his  talents, 
and  something  for  the  preparation  or  equipment  which 
fortune  has  enabled  him  to  command  or  acquire.  Thus 
he  prepares  his  ground,  and  is  able  to  read  for  a  higher 
purpose  than  that  of  absorbing  some  particular  bit  of 
information  or  mastering  some  particular  method  of 
action,  and  for  a  more  enduring  result  than  that  of 
making  a  better  show    in    the    examination  room,    the 


THE    GORTON  BRANCH.  203 

committee  room,  the  club  room,  the  drawing  room,  or  in 
whatever  room  or  company  you  please.  He  shapes  his 
reading  and  thereby  shapes  himself,  as  all  of  us  may  do 
who  desire  not  to  play  a  part,  but  to  fill  a  place  in  society 
— or,  in  other  words,  to  do  their  duty  in  the  world  where 
we  have  our  common  being  and  in  which  we  must,  more 
or  less,  affect  one  another  either  for  good  or  for  evil. 
Thirdly,  and.  lastly,  we  must  credit  our  happy  reader 
with  patience.  Patience  is  the  crown  of  human  virtues, 
and  humility  is  its  divine  exemplar.  Nor  is  its  reward 
ever  far  off  Our  reader  finds  it,  as  they  say,  between 
the  covers  of  any  volume  in  his  library.  He  need  not 
waste  his  time,  as  some  superfine  noses  among  his 
contemporaries  do,  in  searching  for  pearls  in  dung  heaps ; 
for  he  is  aware  that  the  purpose  of  reading  is,  no  more 
than  the  purpose  of  life,  to  hit  once  in  a  decade  upon  a 
discovery  missed  by  everybody  else.  But  he  takes  the 
good  as  it  is  provided,  and  casts  aside  the  evil  when  he 
sees,  or  even  when  he  scents  it  from  afar  ;  and  he  presses 
on,  neither  without  acknowledgment  of  what  he  uses  nor 
without  compunction  as  to  what  he  leaves  aside,  but 
with  a  belief,  nay  a  certainty,  that  for  steady  and 
unselfish  endeavour  the  road  is  rarely  narrowed,  and 
never  closed.  And  he  sees  his  beacons  shining  along 
the  way  to  encourage  his  progress — the  great  writers 
whose  light  never  goes  out,  the  friends  of  many  a 
generation  that  has  preceded  our  reader  and  many 
that  will  follow  after  him — the  great  men  of  science 
and  letters,  and  the  poets  through  whom  heaven 
speaks  by  an  inspiration    denied  to  you  and  me. 

The  Chairman  requested  Dr.  Ward  to  select  the  first 
book  out  of  the  new  lending  library.  Dr.  Ward  was 
furnished  with  a  catalogue,  and  then  said  he  would  take 
his  favourite  book  of  his  favourite  author,  Sir  Walter 
Scott's  Heart  of  Midlothian.  He  had  read  it  once  or 
twice,  but  he  would  read  it  again. 

Alderman  B.  T.  Leech  moved  a  vote  of  thanks  to 
Professor  Ward.  They  in  Gorton,  he  said,  had  got  an 
excellent  library — one  that  did  credit  to  the  district  and 
to  the  architect  who  designed  it.  He  trusted  they  would 
make  good  use  of  it,  and  that  it  would  be  a  bridge 
between  many  of  the  young  people  there  and  the  college 
of  which    Professor  Ward   was  the  distineuished  head. 


204  THE  OPENSHAIV  BRANCH. 

In  the:3e  days  they  had  great  advantages  in  the  shape  of 
board  schools,  art  schools,  technical  schools,  and  so  on, 
by  which  a  lad  might  make  his  way  in  the  country. 

Alderman     Higginbottom     seconded    the    resolution 
which   was  carried  amid  great  enthusiasm. 

THE  OPENSIIAW  BRANCH. 
The  fine  range  of  municipal  buildings  erected  in 
Ashton  Old  Road,  Openshaw,  on  a  site  adjoining  the 
Whitworth  Baths,  and  provided  jointly  by  the  Manchester 
Corporation  and  the  Legatees  of  the  late  Sir  Joseph 
Whitworth,  were  opened  on  Saturday  afternoon,  July  7th, 
1894,  by  Mr.  R.  C.  Christie,  M.A.,  one  of  the  Legatees, 
and  late  Chancellor  of  the  Diocese  of  Manchester.  In  the 
buildings  there  is  provided  a  library  containing  space  for 
20,000  volumes,  a  public  hall,  a  technical  school,  and  what 
fs  a  departure  in  municipal  buildings,  a  coffee  tavern  and 
chess  and  billiard  rooms.  The  total  cost,  including  the 
site,  was  about  iS^  15,000,  and  towards  this  the  Whitworth 
Legatees  contributed  ;!^8,50o.  A  procession  was  formed 
of  the  Committee  in  the  Reception  Hall,  and  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  main  entrance,  where  a  gold  key  was 
presented  to  Mr.  R.  C.  Christie,  who  formally  opened  the 
door.  A  meeting  was  then  held  in  the  Public  Hall,  which 
was  well  filled  with  an  interested  audience.  The  Lord 
Mayor  (Sir  Anthony  Marshall)  presided.  There  were 
also  present  Mr.  Christie  and  Mr.  R.  D.  Darbishire 
(Legatees  of  Sir  Joseph  Whitworth),  Councillor  Southern 
(Chairman  of  the  Libraries  Committee),  Alderman  Hoy 
(Chairman  of  the  Technical  Instruction  Committee), 
Alderman  Crosfield,  and  Councillors  James  Robinson, 
James  Saxon,  and  David  Taylor  (representatives  of  Open- 
shaw Ward),  and  other  members  of  the  Corporation  ; 
Mr.  C.  W.  Sutton  (Chief  Librarian),  Rev.  J.  P.  Airey,  M.A.  ; 
Rev.  Robert  Sutton,  Rev.  W.  H.  Cory  Harris,  Rev.  Samuel 


y^C 


THE    OPENSHAIV  BRANCH.  205 

Taylor,  Mr.  J.  W.  Beaumont,  Mr.  James  Brierley,  J. P.  ; 
Mr.  William  Charlton,  J. P.  ;  Mr.  Stanhope  Perkins,  Mr. 
J.  P.  Sharp,  Mr.  Arthur  Painter,  Mr.  John  Jee,  Dr.  Bailey, 
Mr.  Alfred  Stansfield,  Mr.  James  Pollitt,  Mr.  J.  W. 
Wheeler  (representin^r  Messrs.  Neill,  the  contractors),  Mr. 
Alfred  Saxon,  Mr.  H.  B.  Brown,  Mr.  J.  Finlayson,  and 
others. 

The  Lord  Mayor  said  he  felt  highly  honoured  at 
having  been  invited  to  preside  at  the  meeting  that  after- 
noon.' The  occasion  was  one  of  which  they  might  all 
feel  proud,  and  they  might  all  rejoice  in  the  great  and 
noble  effort  that  had  been  made  in  erecting  such  a 
magnificent  pile  of  buildings  for  the  use  of  the  citizens 
of  the  district.  The  Corporation,  it  would  be  admitted, 
had  not  been  slow  in  using  to  the  full  the  privileges  that 
were  given  to  them  under  the  Free  Libraries  Act.  They 
had  done  so  because  they  felt  that  free  libraries  were  a 
necessity  if  the  people  were  to  have  the  best  means  of 
recreation  and  amusement  at  their  command,  and  the 
best  means,  too,  of  inspiring  them  to  press  forward  in  the 
march  of  social  progress.  A  free  library  and  reading- 
room  had  been  established  in  every  district  of  the  city. 
The  one  at  Openshaw  was  the  most  comprehensive  of 
all,  and  for  this  they  had  to  thank  the  munificence  of  the 
Legatees  of  Sir  Joseph  Whitworth.  The  institution 
was  a  new  departure,  and  on  that  account  its  future 
would  be  watched  with  great  interest  in  Manchester. 
It  comprised  not  only  a  free  library  and  reading  rooms, 
but  also  a  large  public  hall,  magnificent  baths,  and 
billiard,  smoking,  and  refreshment  rooms.  The  additions 
had  been  provided  by  the  Whitworth  Legatees,  and  this 
and  their  other  gifts  to  the  city  had  laid  the  citizens 
under  a  deep  obligation. 

Mr.  R.  C.  Christie  declared  the  building  open.  He 
said,  by  the  favour  of  the  chairman  and  members  of  the 
Libraries  Committee  of  the  Corporation  of  Manchester 
the  very  honourable  and  pleasant  duty  was  committed  to 
him  of  opening  the  Municipal  Buildings  of  Openshaw, 
and  addressing  those  citizens  of  Manchester  w^ho  were 
residents  in  the  township,  and  might  be  expected  to  use 
and  feel  interest  in  them  and  in  the  several  departments 


2o6  THE   OPENS  HAW  BRANCH. 

of  mental  culture,  social  intercourse,  and  pleasure  which 
were  united  in  the  purpose  and  aim  of  the  buildings 
themselves.  It  was  now  five  years  since  he  had  the 
pleasure  of  addressing  a  public  meeting  of  the  in- 
habitants of  Openshaw,  not  then,  but  in  a  few  weeks 
afterwards  to  become  citizens  of  Manchester.  He  then 
had  the  privilege  of  presenting  to  them  on  behalf  of  the 
Legatees  of  Sir  Joseph  Whitworth  the  public  baths 
which  they  had  built  out  of  moneys  coming  to  them 
from  his  estate,  as  a  memorial  of  him,  and  of  his 
constant  wish  to  benefit  his  fellow  men  and  pro- 
mote their  welfare  in  every  way.  He  then  shadowed  forth 
some  hopes  that  in  some  future  time  some  other 
institution  might  follow  with,  at  least  in  part,  more 
directly  intellectual  aims.  When  the  township  of 
Openshaw  became  incorporated  with  the  City  of 
Manchester  they  felt  certain  that  the  City  Council, 
which  had  taken  so  prominent  and  so  enlightened  a  part 
in  promoting  the  free  library  movement,  would  recognise 
the  claims  of  the  township  to  a  free  library  to  be 
provided  at  the  expense  of  the  ratepayers  of  the  city, 
and  they  accordingly  approached  the  Libraries  Com- 
mittee with  a  proposal  that  the  Legatees  would  give  a 
site  and  that  a  building  should  be  erected  at  their  joint 
cost,  the  building  to  include  not  only  a  library,  public 
hall,  and  class  rooms  for  technical  and  other  instruction, 
but  also  a  coffee  tavern  and  billiard  room,  with  a  view  of 
providing  means  of  social  intercourse,  amusement,  and 
refreshment,  not  accompanied  by  intoxicating  drinks — 
in  fact  to  provide  a  place  of  innocent  recreation  and  of 
social  intercourse  that  might  prove  a  useful  rival  to  the 
public-house.  Now  he  was  not  about  to  say  a  word 
against  a  well-conducted  public-house,  nor  was  this  the 
time  or  the  place  to  discuss  the  evils  or  the  advantages 
of  the  liquor  traffic.  But  this  he  might  say,  and  he 
thought  without  fear  of  contradiction  or  of  giving  offence 
to  any,  that  there  ought  to  be  places  where  good  and 
non-intoxicating  refreshments  might  be  had,  where 
billiards  and  other  games  might  be  played,  and  where 
people  might  meet  for  social  intercourse  without  being 
expected  to  drink  intoxicating  liquor  whether  they 
wanted  it  or  not,  and  in  places  where  there  was  at  least 
a  temptation,  and  in  many  cases  a  strong  temptation,  to 
drink  more  than  is  good  for  them.     He  would  like  to 


THE   OPENS  HA  IV  BRANCH.  207 

express  his  gratitude  to  the  Libraries  Committee  for  the 
friendly  and  cordial  manner  in  which  they  received  the 
proposal  of  the  Legatees.      It  was  in  some  sort  a  new 
departure,  and  must  be  taken  to  be  to  some  extent  an 
experiment.     The  Libraries  Committee  could  not  itself 
carry  on  the  coffee  tavern,  nor  could  the  rates  be  applied 
either   for   its   erection    or   maintenance.      But    as    the 
Legatees  offered  to  bear  much  more  than  the  cost  of 
that   part   of  the   buildings,   the    Libraries    Committee 
expressed  their  willingness  to  meet  their  wishes,  to  join 
them  in  the  erection  of  the  buildings,  and  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  the  carrying  on  of  the  coffee 
tavern  by  their  tenant.     What  the  Legatees  had  done 
had  been  done  in  the  name  of  Sir  Joseph  Whitworth, 
and  with  the  funds  entrusted  to  them  by  him,  and  in 
furtherance  of  what  they  believed  would  have  been  his 
wishes  and  his  aims.   He  had  to  express  LadyWhitworth's 
great  regret — a  regret  in  which  he  was  sure  all  would 
join — that  she  was  not  able  to  be  present.     As  he  had  said, 
this  was  a  new  departure.     It  was  an  experiment  which 
he  very  earnestly  hoped  would  be  successful,  because  it 
was  of  the  greatest   importance    to    provide    places    of 
amusement  free  from  the  temptations  of  the  public-house. 
In  giving  the  site  and  providing  their  share  of  the  cost 
of  the  buildings, the  Legatees  made  no  formal  stipulations. 
If  the   coffee    tavern,  the    billiard    room,  and  the  play- 
rooms were  popular,  and  were  found  to  supply  a  want, 
they  had  full  confidence  in  the  City  Council  that  they 
would  continue  to  exist  under  their  supervision.     If,  on 
the  contrary,  their  hopes  and  anticipations  should  not  be 
fulfilled,  they  left  to  the  Council  full  freedom  to  use  the 
buildings  for  such  purposes  as  they  might  think  would 
most  conduce  to  the  welfare  and  to  the  enjoyment  of  the 
inhabitants   of  Openshaw.       He   had   heard   only   one 
objection  urged  against  the  coffee  tavern  and  the  billiard 
room,  and  that  was  that  they  were  too  grand,  too  luxu- 
rious,   and   that  working   men  would  be   afraid  to  use 
them.    He  hoped  this  would  not  be  the  case.    They  were 
specially  provided  for  the  use  of  the  working  men  and 
boys  of  Openshaw,  and  the  working  men  must  remember 
that  the  building  was  their  property,  and  that  they  could 
not  better  please  those  who   had   provided   it  than  by 
making  use  of  it,  and  showing  that  they  claimed  it  as 
their  own.     Having  said   these  few  words  on  what  he 


2o8  THE   OPENSHAW  BRANCH. 

might  term  the  lighter  aspects  of  the  building  he  would 
turn  to  those  which  Avere  its  main  purposes,  its  serious 
aims.  In  this  public  hall  they  had  a  place  suitable  for 
meetings  of  every  kind, whether  grave  or  gay.  In  the  class- 
rooms there  would  be  carried  on,  under  the  powers  now 
vested  in  the  Corporation,  classes  for  technical  instruction, 
which  could  not  fail  to  be  of  the  greatest  advantage  to 
the  young  people  who  availed  themselves  of  them.  .  But 
besides  all  this,  they  now  had — and  it  was  this  he  hoped 
and  believed  that  they  were  looking  forward  to  with  the 
greatest  eagerness,  with  the  most  pleasant  anticipation — 
a  free  public  library,  a  library  which  would  place  within 
the  reach  of  everyone,  however  humble  his  position, 
treasures  of  thought,  treasures  of  knowledge,  treasures  of 
imagination,  which  fifty  years  since  only  the  very  wealthy 
could  obtain.  Here  the  whole  range  of  English  litera- 
ture was  placed  within  their  reach.  They  had  access 
to  '  the  fairy  tales  of  science  and  the  long  results  of 
time'  on  which  to  nourish  their  minds.  He  would 
not  trouble  them  with  a  history  of  the  free  library 
movement,  nor  of  the  honourable  part,  which  Manchester 
had  taken  in  it.  But  he  might  at  least  say  that  they  all 
felt  proud,  as  citizens  of  Manchester,  of  the  fact  that 
Manchester  was  one  of  the  first  places  to  avail  itself  of 
Mr.  Ewart's  Act,  and  there  was  no  part  of  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  City  Council  upon  which  they  could  look 
with  more  satisfaction  than  that  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Public  Libraries  Committee.  Formerly — and  that 
not  so  very  long  since — it  was  considered  that  trade  and 
commerce,  and  still  more  those  mechanical  occupations 
to  which  they  in  Openshaw  were  specially  devoted,  were 
incompatible  with  a  love  of  literature  and  a  knowledge 
of  books.  But  happily  we  had  outgrown  that  narrow 
view,  and  we  now  recognised  the  fact  that  the  more  our 
time  and  thought  were  absorbed  in  the  practical  work  of 
our  daily  occupation,  the  more  desirable  was  it  that  in 
our  leisure  hours  our  minds  should  expand  to  wider  and 
higher  subjects.  But  books  were  innumerable,  our  hours 
lor  reading  them  were  few  ;  and  the  question  presented 
itself,  How  were  we  to  use  these  few  hours  and  these 
innumerable  books  to  the  most  pleasure  and  the  most 
profit?  It  was  astonishing  how  little  care  many  people 
seemed  to  take  in  their  choice  of  books.  They  would 
take  any  book  they  chanced  to  find — often  attracted,  as 


/   \- 


\. 


THE   OPENS  HAW  BRANCH.  209 

librarians  would  testify,  by  the  title,  sometimes  even  by 
the  binding.  Probably  most  of  the  Openshavv  readers 
would  be  satisfied  with  our  native  English  literature, 
which  formed,  and  rightly  formed,  the  great  bulk  of  the 
books  of  this  library,  and  which  included,  we  might  say 
with  just  pride,  some  of  the  greatest  poets,  historians, 
and  philosophers  that  the  world  had  seen.  There  were, 
indeed,  many  points  in  which  the  literature  of  England 
was  inferior  to  that  of  other  nations.  It  was  character- 
ised neither  by  the  polished  and  pointed  elegance  of  the 
French,  nor  the  severe  and  detailed  accuracy  and 
thoroughness  of  the  German.  But  the  whole  civilised 
world  admitted  that  among  the  greatest  poets  of  the 
world  Shakspere  and  Milton  took  equal  rank  with 
Homer,  with  yEschylus,  with  Dante ;  that  among 
philosophers  Bacon  and  Newton  were  second  to  none, 
either  of  the  ancients  or  the  moderns ;  that  though 
in  history  we  were  beginning  to  feel  that  the  adventures 
and  the  vices  of  kings  and  queens,  the  dates  of  battles 
and  wars  were  less  important  than  the  condition  of  the 
people,  the  progress  of  civilization,  of  art,  of  philosophy, 
of  commerce,  that  Gibbon's  History  of  the  Decline  and 
Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire  was  incomparable  in  accuracy, 
thoroughness,  lucidity,  and  comprehensive  grasp  of  a 
vast  and  important  subject.  Lastly,  in  prose  fiction  we 
possessed  the  acknowledged  master  of  all — Sir  Walter 
Scott.  There  was  no  branch  of  literature  that  was 
capable  of  affording  more  pleasure  and  more  interest, 
even  to  the  desultory  reader  who  only  wished  to  pass  his 
leisure  hours  pleasantly,  than  history,  and  the  history  of 
England  was  second  to  none  for  dramatic  incident  and 
for  narrative  interest,  while  to  us  it  ought  to  be  of  the 
most  absorbing  interest,  as  it  was  certainly  of  the  very 
highest  importance.  The  extension  of  the  franchise,  by 
which  the  decision  of  all  important  political  questions 
was  now  vested  in  the  bulk  of  the  people,  rendered  it 
more  than  ever  necessary  that  every  elector  should 
possess  a  knowledge  of  past  history.  Every  man  had 
now  a  voice  in  the  settlement  of  national  questions.  But 
how  could  anyone  decide  what  reforms  were  needed, 
what  new  measures  were  expedient,  who  knew  nothing 
of  the  experience  of  the  past,  of  the  circumstances  in 
which  our  constitution,  our  laws,  our  customs,  our  civil 
and  religious  institutions  have  grown  up  during  the  past 

O 


lo  THE   OPENSHAW  BRANCH. 

one  thousand  years  ?  But  while  we  read  history  with  a 
view  of  profiting  from  the  lessons  of  experience,  we  must 
not  too  hastily  infer  similar  results  from  apparently 
similar  causes,  and  we  must  remember  with  certainty 
that  no  past  states  or  society  could  ever  be  renewed. 
The  mere  fact  of  an  event  or  a  state  of  society  having 
existed  was  a  guarantee  that  it  would  never  exist  again. 
In  the  statistics  which  our  free  libraries  gave  us  every 
year,  and  which  were  so  valuable  and  interesting,  varied 
as  they  were  in  the  books  read  in  different  districts 
among  different  classes  of  readers,  they  all  agreed  in  this, 
that  in  the  lending  libraries  the  issue  of  prose  fiction  was 
enormously  in  excess  of  that  of  any  other  class  of 
literature.  He  was  himself,  and  had  been  for  consider- 
ably more  than  half  a  century,  a  great  reader  of  novels. 
He  had  derived  much  pleasure  and,  he  hoped,  some 
profit  from  them,  and  he  had  no  wish  to  see  others 
debarred  from  a  like  pleasure  and  profit.  But  he  was 
bound  to  say  that  when  he  looked  at  the  returns  from 
the  free  libraries  he  could  not  but  feel  that  there  was 
some  truth  in  recent  strictures,  that  injury  was  done  to 
good  literature  by  the  inordinate  predominance  of  fiction 
in  free  libraries,  and  that  they  would  do  well  to  curtail 
the  supply  of  modern  novels.  He  now  declared  these 
municipal  buildings  open,  and  concluded  by  expressing 
the  wish  of  all  who  aided  in  their  erection  that  they 
might  long  continue  to  be  a  centre  of  municipal  life,  of 
intellectual  culture,  and  of  social  enjoyment. 

Councillor  Southern,  Chairman  of  the  Libraries  Com- 
mittee, said  that  was  an  auspicious  day  for  the  township 
of  Openshaw.  Certainly  it  was  a  day  of  great  satisfaction 
and  of  deep  pleasure  to  the  Free  Libraries  Committee 
that  the  work  they  had  had  in  hand  there  for  so  long  a 
period  had  been  brought  to  so  successful  a  completion. 
They  had  special  cause  for  satisfaction  in  having  had 
Mr.  Christie  with  them  to  open  those  buildings,  not 
merely  because  he  was  one  of  the  Legatees  who  had  made 
their  erection  possible  by  their  pecuniary  benefaction, 
but  because  his  was  a  name  which  was  known  as  that  of 
a  man  who  was  identified  with  knowledge  and  instruc- 
tion. His  object  in  rising  was  to  ask  them  to  adopt  the 
following  resolution  of  thanks  : — 

That  this  meeting  tenders  its  most  cordial  thanks  to 


THE    OPEN  SHAW  BRANCH.  211 

Mr.  Christie  for  the  inaugural  address   which   he 
has   delivered   at  the  opening  of  the  Openshaw 
Free  Library,  Public  Hall,  and  Technical  School, 
and  expresses  its  grateful  recognition  of  the  muni- 
ficence and   public  spirit  of  the  Legatees  of  Sir 
Joseph  Whitworth   in  aiding  by  their  generous 
gift  of  ;^8,500   in  the   provision  of  this  splendid 
range  of  buildings. 
The  land  and  buildings  had   cost  about  i^  15,000,  and 
towards  this  the  Whitworth  Legatees  had  given  in  cash 
i"6,500  and  the  site,  which  was  valued  at  ^2,000.     The 
Town   Hall  Committee  had  given  ^1,500   towards  the 
new  hall  and  they  had  received  a  similar  amount  from 
the  Technical  Instruction  Committee.     The  new  library 
opened  with  4,700  volumes,  and  as  they  found  the  books 
were  used,  and  well  used,  they  would  increase  the  number 
of  volumes.    They  had  in  that  magnificent  hall  in  which 
they    were    assembled    a    meeting    room    which    would 
accommodate  700  persons.    Taking  the  range  of  buildings 
altogether,  he  thought  he  might  say  they  were  such  as 
would  be  especially  satisfactory  to  the  township  of  Open- 
shaw.    He  only  wished  that  every  ward  in  the  city  was 
as  well  accommodated. 

Alderman  Hoy,  Chairman  of  the  Technical  Instruction 
Committee,  in  seconding  the  vote,  reminded  his  audience 
that  the  gifts  which  the  Whitworth  Legatees  had  made 
in  connection  with  those  buildings  were  not  the  only 
gifts  they  had  made  to  the  City  of  Manchester,  of  which 
the  township  of  Openshaw  was  now  one  of  the  compon  ent 
parts.  He  could  not  help  feeling  that  day  that  the 
erection  of  that  fine  suite  of  buildings  was  an  act  which 
might  perhaps  commend  itself  to  other  representatives 
of  great  commercial  and  industrial  undertakings  in 
various  parts  of  the  city  as  an  example  of  what  might 
be  done  in  other  working-class  districts  by  those  who 
themselves  had  been  largely  assisted  in  the  accumulation 
of  their  resources  by  the  community  in  which  their  lot 
had  been  cast.  Some  of  them  would  know  that  there 
had  been  technical  classes  held  in  Openshaw  for  a 
number  of  years.  The  classes  had  been  under  the 
charge  of  the  Technical  Instruction  Committee,  but  they 
had  been  carried  on  under  very  depressing  circumstances. 
They  proposed  to  extend  the  classes  which  had  been  in 


12  THE   OPENS  HA  JV  BRANCH. 

existence  at  Openshavv,  and  which  had  a  direct  and 
distinct  bearing  upon  the  industry  in  which  the  great 
bulk  of  the  people  were  employed — they  proposed  to 
add  to  the  drawing  classes  and  the  classes  for  applied 
mechanics  and  steam,  which  had  been  previously  held, 
mathematics  and  geometry.  Lectures,  assisted  by 
diagrams  and  the  use  of  the  lantern,  would  also  be 
provided  ;  and  if  it  should  be  found  that  there  was  a 
desire  for  the  development  of  other  and  different  work 
the  Committee  was  fitted  to  do,  nothing  would  give 
them  greater  pleasure  than  to  establish  classes  in  other 
subjects. 

Alderman  Crosfield,  in  supporting  the  resolution,  said 
he  endorsed  it  with  all  his  heart.  He  looked  upon  that 
noble  suite  of  buildings  as  the  outward  and  visible  sign 
of  inward  municipal  grace.  Those  buildings  were  the 
result  of  the  liberality  of  the  Legatees  of  the  late  Sir 
Joseph  Whitworth,  backed  up  by  the  Corporation,  which 
was  not  always  so  ready  to  spend  money  wisely,  and  to 
use  that  money  to  the  very  best  possible  purposes  that 
a  corporation  could  do.  It  could  be  said  that  the 
buildings  were  very  good,  and  would  be  very  useful  to 
the  people,  but  the  best  part  of  Openshaw  was  the 
people  themselves.  They  had  in  Openshaw  about  a 
mile  of  engineering  works,  and  he  ventured  to  say  they 
turned  out  in  the  township  work  that  could  not  be 
excelled  in  any  part  of  Her  Majesty's  dominions.  They 
had  in  those  works  a  large  number  of  skilled  artizans, 
and  boys  who  would  become  skilled  artizans.  They  had 
in  the  township  3,000  children  in  the  board  schools,  and 
over  2,000  in  the  voluntary  schools,  and  more  than  these 
two  together  in  the  Sunday  schools.  He  held  that  they 
had  in  Openshaw  some  of  the  brightest  and  most 
intelligent  boys  and  girls  in  the  country,  who  only 
wanted  opportunities  to  develop  their  minds,  characters, 
and  talents  to  bring  out  an  amount  of  latent  enterprise 
and  skill  which  few  people  had  contemplated.  It  was 
on  behalf  of  those  boys  and  girls  that  they  were  that 
day  rejoicing  at  the  opening  of  those  rooms.  So  far  as 
he  could  judge  they  would  have  a  large  number  of 
readers,  not  only  of  those  books  of  amusement  to  which 
Mr.  Christie  had  referred,  but  of  those  which  would  have 
a  useful  influence,  and  would  be  valuable  to  the  students 


THE   OPENS  HAW  BRANCH.  213 

at  the  technical  classes  that  would  be  established  there. 
With  regard  to  the  social  part  of  the  enterprise,  he  hoped 
it  would  provide  for  workers  that  recreation  to  which 
they  only  were  entitled.  He  trusted  they  would  not 
have  to  put  over  the  door  a  quotation  from  Dante  up  to 
date.  'AH  work  abandon  ye  who  enter  here.'  This 
was  his  experience  of  billiard  rooms  connected  both  with 
public-houses  or  clubs. 

The  library  building  is  entered  from  Ashton  Old 
Road,  and  comprises  a  library,  reading  room,  and  boys' 
room,  which  has  a  separate  entrance  from  a  side  street. 

These  rooms  are  divided  from  one  another  by  glazed 
screens,  which  ensure  complete  superintendence  of  all 
parts  of  the  rooms  by  the  attendants  in  the  library.  The 
library  is  lighted  from  large  windows  looking  into  Ashton 
Old  Road,  and  the  bookcases  are  fixed  at  right  angles  to 
the  windows,  giving  space  for  about  10,000  books.  The 
reading  room  is  in  two  parts,  the  larger  part  being  60ft.  by 
30ft.  and  the  smaller  part  47ft.  by  9ft.,  divided  from  one 
another  by  an  arcade  of  four  semi-circular  arches  carved 
on  polished  granite  columns.  The  larger  part  has  an  open 
timber  roof.  Newspaper  racks  are  fixed  on  both  sides 
of  the  room,  and  two  rows  of  reading  tables,  accommo- 
dating about  90  readers,  fill  the  larger  part  of  it.  The  boys' 
room  contains  seats  for  120  readers,  and  both  girls  and 
boys  are  admitted. 

The  coffee  tavern,  games  room,  and  smoke  and  billiard 
rooms  occupy  the  front  of  the  building,  and  are  very 
spacious  and  comfortable.  The  billiard  room  is  furnished 
with  three  full-sized  tables,  and  is  a  source  of  revenue,  as 
a  small  charge  for  each  game  is  made. 

The  walls  of  nearly  all  the  rooms  and  passages 
throughout  the  building  are  faced  with  buff  and  red  bricks, 
either  glazed  or  unglazed,  no  plaster  being  used  except  for 
the  walls  of  the  library  and  for  ceilings.     All  joiners'  work 


214  THE  MOSJON  BRANCH. 

is  of  pitch  pine  stained  and  varnished,  and  the  building  is 
heated  throughout  by  hot  water.  Messrs.  J.  W.  and  R.  F. 
Beaumont  were  the  architects. 

The  years  which  have  elapsed  since  the  opening 
of  this  branch  have  made  it  apparent  that  the 
coffee  tavern  is  not  a  necessity  of  the  neighbourhood, 
whilst  the  games  room  and  billiard  room  have  become 
so  popular  and  crowded  that  a  doubt  as  to  whether  they 
do  not  seriously  interfere  with  the  utility  of  the  more 
intellectual  side  of  the  institution  grows  somewhat  un- 
pleasantly insistent. 

Another  result  of  the  amalgamation  of  the  out-town- 
ships was  the  transference  to  the  Libraries  Committee  of 
certain  properties  which  had  been  in  the  possession  of  the 
Overseers,  and  used  by  them  as  offices  and  for  other 
purposes.  The  income  derived  from  the  letting  of  these 
properties  will  be  devoted  to  library  purposes,  but  in 
one  instance,  the  township  offices  at  Crumpsall,  the 
building  has  already  been  used  to  extend  their  work.  Those 
offices  were  converted  into  a  reading  room,  which  was 
opened  for  public  use  on  September  6th,  1897. 

THE   MOSTON    BRANCH. 

On  February  5th,  1898,  the  library  contained  in  the 
Simpson  Memorial  School,  Moston,  was  dedicated  to  the 
public  of  Manchester.  This  library  was  established  in 
1888  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  Simpson 
Institute,  and  the  trustees,  hoping  thereby  to  extend  its 
usefulness,  transferred  the  admirably  appointed  reading 
room  and  library,  together  with  about  800  volumes  of 
well-chosen  books,  to  the  Libraries  Committee.  About 
500  new  books  were  added  to  the  stock,  and  the  inhabitants 
of   the    district     have    indicated    their  appreciation     of 


NUMBER  OF 

VOLUMES  IN  EACH  LIBRARY  AND  READING  ROOM  IN   1897-8. 

Theology 

History, 
Biography, 
Travels,  &c. 

Politics 

Science 
and  Art 

Literature 

Prose 
Fiction 

Embossed 

Philosophy 

and 
Commerce 

and 
Polygraphy 

Patents 

Boolss  for 
the  Blind 

Totals 

Kefekence  Librarv        

9068 

28028 

203S5 

20912 

2974S 

- 

6489 

- 

1 14630 

Branch  Libraries  :— 

825 

366 

2212 

3'99 

6002 

— 

Cheetham            

■  c66 

4309 

496 

2952 

5902 

17327 

1^ 

2683 

^ 

6526 

— 

~ 

20796 

498 

2959 

6197 

— 

346 

Gorton 

233 

1213 

176 

7>4 

3S39 

2^:7^ 

Hulme 

5735 

502 

7443 

Longsight            

253 

1421 

t 

1264 

5,8. 

— 

— 

*?s 

Moslon 

548 

Newton  Heath 

344 

1560 

213 

938 

1049 

3029 

7133 

1467 

4192 

— 

— 

8747 

Rochdale  Road 

779 

4610 

445 

2490 

2644 

6672 

Rmholme            

233 

1340 

151 

687 

4069 

— 

— 

Reading  Rooms  :- 

Bradford  ... 

30 

40 

93 

302 

505 

1158 

Chester  Road. 

73 

36 

254 

— 

— 

Cnimpsall            

42 

9 

47 

132 

- 

— 

249 

\\;T^:ia    :     :::         :: 

29 

212 

10 

85 

504 

701 

~ 

~ 

I54I 

16724 

66393 

24293 

41353 

60722 

6.758 

6489 

346 

278078 

ANNUAL   ISSUES  FROM  EACH  LIBRARY  FOR  EACH  YEAR  FROM   18S7-8  TO  1897-S. 


37th  1888-9 
3Sth  1889-90 
39lh  1890- 1 

41st  1892-3 
42nd  1893-4 
43rd  1894-5 
44th  1S95-6 
45th  18967 
46th  1897-8 


305765 
336058 
307785 
284829 
323453 
297827 
339894 
416100 
419949 
437798 
440442 


199148 
171567 
168381 
174962 
142129 
158564 
161444 
154138 
143804 
127682 


288678 
295218 
2671 84 
271824 
253684 
224175 
248863 
243279 
241936 


182548 
164642 
174742 
170034 

169970 

13585! 
144368 
138551 
137697 


149238 
136485 
152499 


203607 
192860 
196445 
194586 
177849 
187853 
182259 


73272 
70798 
78996 
74S07 
76249 
73545 
63343 


Reading  Room 


1606S74 
I 64974 I 
156480S 


DELIVERY  STATIONS.  215 

the   generosity   of  the   trustees   by  making  almost   em- 
barrassing demands  on  the  resources  of  the  library. 

The  latest  action  taken  in  regard  to  the  extension  of 
the  branch  library  system  has  been  in  conjunction 
with  the  David  Lewis  Trust.  It  is  proposed  that  a 
library  and  public  institute  shall  be  erected  on  land 
adjoining  the  Lewis  Recreation  Ground  in  Blackley, 
and  that  the  cost  should  be  borne  respectively  by  the 
Trustees  and  the  Libraries  Committee.  Plans  for  the 
buildings  required  have  been  submitted  and  considered, 
and  there  the  business  at  present  rests. 

DELIVERY    STATIONS. 

For  the  further  convenience  of  readers,  particularly 
those  who  do  not  reside  near  any  of  the  lending  libraries, 
the  five  reading  rooms  have  been  constituted  "  Delivery 
Stations,"  at  which  readers  may  have  books  delivered  to 
them  from  the  nearest  lending  library,  thus  saving  them 
the  necessity  of  journeying  to  the  library.  Books  applied 
for  at  any  of  these  rooms  before  10  o'clock  a.m.,  can  be 
called  for  after  12  o'clock  on  the  same  day,  but  if  applied 
for  after  10  they  will  not  be  obtainable  until  after  12  on 
the  following  day.  Only  one  or  two  of  the  rooms  have 
been  as  yet  fairly  successful  in  this  new  development, 
probably  for  the  reason  that  the  distance  from  the  library 
nearest  to  them,  of  those  but  little  used  for  the  purpose, 
is  not  very  considerable. 

The  accompanying  tables  show  the  increase  in  the 
provision  of  books  and  of  their  use  since  the  beginning  of  the 
new  era  of  the  growth  of  the  libraries  to  the  present  time. 

USE   OF   THE    NEWSROOMS. 
With  the  exceptions  of  the  Sunday  use  of  the  libraries 
and  the  use  of  the  boys'  rooms,  the  figures  hitherto  quoted 


NUMBER  OF 


Reference  Library 

Branch  Libraries  :- 

Ancoats 

Cheetham 

Chorlton 

Deansgate 
Gorton  ... 
Hulme  .. 
Longsight 

Most  on     

Newton  Heath    ... 
Openshaw 
Rochdale  Road  ... 
Rusholme 

Reading  Rooms  :— 
Bradford  ...    ,     ... 
Chester  Road.    ... 
Crumpsall 
Harpurhey  ' 
Hyde  Road 


als 


78 


ANNUAL    issue: 


Year 


36ih  1887-S 
37th  1888-9 
38th  1889-90 
39lh  1890-1 
40th  1891-2 
41st  1892-3 
42nd  1893-4 
43rd  1894-5 
44th  1895-6 
45lh  1896-7 
46th  1897-8 


305765 
336058 
307785 
284829 

323453 
297827 
339894 
416100 
419949 

43779^ 
440442 


184298 
199148 
171567 
168381 
174962 
142129 
158564 
16 1 444 
154138 
143804 
127682 


28867S 
295218 
267 1 84 
271824 
253684 
224175 
248863 
243279 
241936 
264475 
275099 


182548 
164642 
174742 
170034 
166504 
169970 
164001 
135851 
144368 
138551 
137697 


8p^ 


19478I 
16819! 
I 4923 j 
13648] 
152491 
136011 
156971 
1479H 
14639' 
I 5492 I 

15331 


Annual 
Total 


1606874 
T 64974 I 
1564808 
1509124 
1654568 
1712114 
1914503 
2093100 
2045393 
2082133 
2101546 


4464 
4700 
4432 
4263 
5203 
5021 

6175 
6190 

6033 
5816 
5870 


DELIVERY  STATIONS.  215 

the   generosity   of  the   trustees   by  making  almost   em- 
barrassing demands  on  the  resources  of  the  library. 

The  latest  action  taken  in  regard  to  the  extension  of 
the  branch  library  system  has  been  in  conjunction 
with  the  David  Lewis  Trust.  It  is  proposed  that  a 
library  and  public  institute  shall  be  erected  on  land 
adjoining  the  Lewis  Recreation  Ground  in  Blackley, 
and  that  the  cost  should  be  borne  respectively  by  the 
Trustees  and  the  Libraries  Committee.  Plans  for  the 
buildings  required  have  been  submitted  and  considered, 
and  there  the  business  at  present  rests. 

DELIVERY    STATIONS. 

For  the  further  convenience  of  readers,  particularly 
those  who  do  not  reside  near  any  of  the  lending  libraries, 
the  five  reading  rooms  have  been  constituted  "  Delivery 
Stations,"  at  which  readers  may  have  books  delivered  to 
them  from  the  nearest  lending  library,  thus  saving  them 
the  iiecessTty  of  journeying  to  the  library.  Books  applied 
for  at  any  of  these  rooms  before  10  o'clock  a.m.,  can  be 
called  for  after  12  o'clock  on  the  same  day,  but  if  applied 
for  after  10  they  will  not  be  obtainable  until  after  12  on 
the  following  day.  Only  one  or  two  of  the  rooms  have 
been  as  yet  fairly  successful  in  this  new  development, 
probably  for  the  reason  that  the  distance  from  the  library 
nearest  to  them,  of  those  but  little  used  for  the  purpose, 
is  not  very  considerable. 

The  accompanying  tables  show  the  increase  in  the 
provision  of  books  and  of  their  use  since  the  beginning  of  the 
new  era  of  the  growth  of  the  libraries  to  the  present  time. 

USE   OF   THE    NEWSROOMS. 
With  the  exceptions  of  the  Sunday  use  of  the  libraries 
and  the  use  of  the  boys'  rooms,  the  figures  hitherto  quoted 


2i6  USE   OF   THE  NEWSROOMS. 

have  referred  solely  to  the  reading  of  books  ;  yet  there  is 
another  branch  of  free  library  work,  not  unimportant, 
still  remaining  to  be  considered,  but  about  which  it  is 
more  difficult  to  give  precise  details.  This  is  the  work  of 
the  newsrooms.  To  each  branch  library  a  large  newsroom 
is  attached,  which  is  supplied  with  a  selection  of  news- 
papers, periodicals,  and  books  of  reference  accessible  to 
readers  without  formality  of  any  kind.  This  prevents 
the  possibility  of  ascertaining  with  perfect  accuracy  to 
what  extent  the  newsrooms  are  used.  To  obtain 
information  on  this  point  which  may  be  reasonably 
used  as  a  basis  upon  which  to  calculate  the  number  of 
visits  made  to  the  newsrooms,  an  exact  count  is  taken 
during  two  weeks  in  the  year,  one  in  winter  and  the 
other  in  summer.  Borrowers  entering  for  the  purpose 
of  exchanging  their  books  are  not  included  in  the 
enumeration.  The  results  of  the  last  count,  together 
with  the  estimated  number  of  visitors  derived  therefrom, 
are  given  in  the  following  table  : — 


USE   OF   THE  NEWSROOMS. 


217 


Number  of  times  persons  have  used  the  Newsrooms 
during  two  weeks — one  in  February,  1898,  and  one  in 
Aueust,  i8q8. 


Branch  Libraries  :— 

Ancoats 6199 

Cheetham  9180 

Chorlton     9338 

Deansgate .14293 

Gorton    I  3744 

Hulme    9947 

Longsight  :  4295 

Moston  1098 

Newton  Heath  1  2677 

Openshaw I  4137 


Rochdale  Road. 
Rusholme  


Reading  Rooms 

Bradford    

Chester  Road 

Crumpsall  

Harpurhey  .  ... 
Hyde  Road    ... 


9587 
3793 

1632 
5730 
1892 

3557 
4846 


95945 


4149 
6632 
7362 

1 1035 
2813 

8777 
3990 
935 
2345 
2931 
6259 
3129 

1596 
3809 
1287 
2791 
3723 


Daily  AvERAGi 


73563 


1311 

^334 

2042 

535 

1421 

614 

183 
382 

591 
1370 

542 


233 
818 
270 
508 
692 


373- 


593 

947 

1052 

1576 

402 

1254 

57° 

156 

335 

419 

894 

447 

228 
544 
184 
399 
532 


'54' 


lis 


T3  > 


"■^  6  "S 


252738 
406440 
429480 
651240 
168012 
481320 
212528 

30589 
128880 

183315 
407520 
179322 

80040 
247203 

81493 
159456 
222156 


4321732 


2l8 


SUMMARY  OF   THE  STATISTICS. 


440442 
968634 
73740 
8026 
472678 
138026 


101546 
5870 


437798 
963127 

71303 

8908 

464261 

136736 


The  following  is  a  Summary  of  the  Statistics  relative  to 
the  use  of  the  Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries 
during  the  last  two  official  years. 

1897-8  i    1896-7 
Volumes  Used.  ' 

No.  of  Vols,  used  in  the  Reference  Library 

lent  for  home  use 

used  in  the  Reading  Rooms  on  Week-days 
Sundays 
Boys'    Rooms    on    Week-days 
Sundays  . 

Total  No.  of  Vols,  used 

Daily  average  of  Vols,  used  

Readers  and  Borrowers. 

No.  of  Readers  at  the  Reference  Library   

No.  of  Borrowers  {i.e.,  the  number  of  times  they  have 

used  the  Lil)raries) 
No.  of   Readers    {i.e.,    users  of  Books  in  the  General 
Reading  Rooms  at  the  Branches)  on  Week-days 

No.  of  Readers  on  Sundays  

,,             ,,         in  the  Boys'  Rooms  on  Week-days  ... 
,,  ,,  ,,  ,,  Sundays    

Total  No.  of  Readers  and  Borrowers  


2082133 
5816 


392074 


Aggregate  use  of  the  Libraries  and  Reading  Rooms, 

By  Borrowers 

Estimated    number   of  Visitors  to  the  Newsrooms  and 

Reading  Rooms    

Number  of  Users  of  the  Reference  Library    

„  ,,  ,,     Boys'  Rooms 

Total  number  of  Users  

Daily  average 

Borrowers'  Cards. 

No.  of  Borrowers'  Cards  issued    

,,  ,,  cancelled 

,,  ,,  transferred    

,,  ,,  now  in  force 


Books  Lost. 

Vols,  lost  by  Borrowers  and  paid  for  by  them    

,,                  ,,                and  paid  for  by  guarantors 
,,  ,,  and  not  yet  recovered  


Library  Stock. 

Vols,  bound  and  repaired 

Vols,  and  Periodical  Cases  lettered 

Vols,  withdrawn  as  worn-out    

,,  ,,       as  duplicates  or  useless 

Additions  to  the  Libraries  (including  replacements  of 

worn-out  books)    

No.  of  Vols,  in  the  Reference  Library    

,,             ,,      Lending  Libraries  and  Reading  Rooms 
Total  No.  of  Vols,  in  all  the  Libraries    


18688 

583 
47120 


M133 
16945 
8016 

508  j 

14883  i 
I 14630 
163448 
278078  I 


17189 

18792 

581 

47603 


12162 

13937 

5225 

1311 

12180 
1 10358 
161500 
271858 


SPONTANEOUS   GROWTH.  219 

SPONTANEOUS  GROWTH. 
From  the  figures  contained  in  the  foregoing  tables  it 
will  be  seen  that  for  the  last  official  year,  1897-8,  the  total 
number  of  visits  to  the  whole  of  the  institutions  for 
every  purpose  to  which  they  are  devoted  was  estimated 
to  be  6,271,671,  or  17,518  every  day.  On  comparing  these 
figures  with  those  for  187 1-2  (the  end  of  the  first  period 
of  growth),  namely,  2,264,688,  it  will  be  found  that  the  use 
of  the  Free  Libraries  has  increased  by  nearly  ^oopeijcent. 
But  the  population  has  by  no  means  grown  at  the  same 
rate,  the  difference  between  the  present  estimated  number, 
540,000,  and  that  of  the  census  of  1871,  351,189,  being 
roughly  about  one-half  greater.  The  increase  in  popu- 
lation, therefore,  cannot  account  for  this  vastly  enhanced 
use,  and  the  additional  facilities  (new  branches,  Sunday 
opening,  boys'  rooms,  &c.)  make  a  difference  only  of  rather 
more  than  two  millions.  It  is  clear,  then,  that  a 
spontaneous  growth  of  about  33  per  cent,  has  taken 
place  in  recent  years  in  the  use  by  the  public  of  their  free 
libraries,  and  so  far  as  can  be  judged  this  growth  will  not 
only  be  maintained,  but  will  expand  as  the  years  advance. 

WHAT  THE  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  LIBRARIES  MAY  MEAN. 
This  fact,  full  of  satisfaction  as  it  is  for  those  interested 
in  this  movement,  naturally  impels  us  to  ask,  what  does 
all  this  mean  ?  All  this  reading  of  newspapers  and  books, 
what  does  it  prove  and  what  does  it  imply  ?  These 
questions  are  not  easily  answered.  It  is  difficult  to 
appraise  the  value  of  an  undertaking  of  which  the  effects 
are  mainly  moral,  and  the  results  not  immediately 
apparent.  There  are  many  such  undertakings  at  work  in 
our  midst,  seeking  to  supplement,  as  powerfully  as  they 
can,  the  efforts  of  religion  and  of  the  State  to  increase  the 
well-being  of  the  people.     Often  and  often,  and  year  by 


220  WHAT  LIBRARIES  MAY  MEAN. 

year,  these  efforts  seem  to  be  abortive,  and  the  vast 
volume  of  misery  and  crime  appears  never  to  grow  less. 
And  yet,  if  we  take  a  wider  view,  if  we  look  back  upon 
the  centuries,  the  intellectual  and  moral  advance  which 
has  been  made  is  almost  startlingly  visible.  Is  it  not 
very  probable  that  the  work  of  these  free  libraries  may  be 
helping  more  largely  in  this  direction  than  even  their 
advocates  assume  ?  No  earnest  reader  of  good  books  can 
fail  to  derive  benefit  therefrom.  Nor  is  it  possible  for  a 
community  to  have  at  its  call  without  let  or  hindrance  the 
best  literature  of  all  civilised  peoples,  the  accumulated 
knowledge  and  wisdom  of  all  the  ages,  and  the  latest 
results  of  investigation  or  discovery,  without  becoming,  if 
they  make  themselves  acquainted  with  these  things,  better 
men  and  better  citizens,  better  workers  and  better  com- 
petitors in  the  arena  of  the  world's  industry.  It  is  for  this 
purpose  and  to  this  end  that  all  education  exists  and  is 
directed.  At  school  we  provide  our  children  with  tools 
which  they  may  afterwards  use  to  carve  their  way  to 
fortune.  But  in  such  process  these  tools  will  need 
strengthening,  improving,  sharpening,  and  so  our  youths 
are  passed  on  to  the  Technical  School,  and  finally  to  that 
university  of  the  worker,  a  large  collection  of  books. 
Here  they  find  the  instruction  of  their  text-books  expanded 
and  carried  to  its  latest  known  achievement  by  men  who 
have  made  it  the  business  of  their  lives  specially  to  study 
some  special  subject,  or  are  introduced  to  the  wide  fields 
of  imagination,  theory,  speculation,  or  record,  in  which  they 
may  find  relief  from  labour,  or  suggestions  for  turning 
their  knowledge  and  abilities  to  account.  Such  libraries 
as  our  extensive  and  most  valuable  Reference  Library 
place  the  poor  scholar  in  the  matter  of  books  on  a  level 
with  the  millionaire,  and  so  it  seems  that  it  would  be  well 
if  a  closer  connection  than   at   present  exists   could   be 


THE  ECONOMIC  LESSON.  221 

devised  between  the  schools,  both  elementary  and  technical, 
and  this  natural  and  indispensable  supplementer  of  them. 

THE    ECONOMIC    LESSON    OF   PUBLIC   LIBRARIES. 

An  important  economic  lesson  which  the  establish- 
ment of  these  free  libraries  enforces  is  that  which  Mr. 
Stanley  Jevons  calls  the  principle  of  the  multiplication  of 
utility.  In  other  words,  they  show  how  cheaply  and  how 
well  a  thing  can  be  done  by  co-operative  effort.  No 
individual,  unless  his  income  were  princely,  could  acquire 
and  maintain  a  library  at  all  comparable  with  these.  Yet 
the  community  not  only  does  this  with  ease,  but  at  so 
trifling  an  individual  expense  that  it  is  probably  felt  by  no 
man.  In  other  directions  this  principle  of  co-operative 
effort  has  spread,  and  is  likely  to  spread.  Carlyle  said 
that  co-operation  would  be  the  future  solution  of  the 
labour  question.  That  stage  has  not  yet  been  reached, 
but  it  can  hardly  be  denied  that  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
honest  man  to  do  his  best  to  help  his  fellow-man,  and  he 
can  best  do  so  by  working  heart  and  soul  in  combination 
with  him.  The  present  basis  of  society  has  been  called 
an  enlightened  selfishness ;  but  when  the  poor  amongst  us 
have  learned  to  be  honest,  and  sober,  and  faithful  to  each 
other,  they  will  then  assuredly  band  together  and  eliminate 
from  it  whatever  militates  against  enlightenment  Every- 
thing, ever  effort,  every  institution,  that  will  assist  them 
to  do  this  is  a  noble  thing,  and  of  good  report,  and  that 
community  is  wise  which  takes  unto  itself  and  cherishes 
whatsoever  means  are  helpful  to  this  splendid  consum- 
mation. 

THE  COST. 

What  the  annual  cost  is  to  the  community  of  Man- 
chester for  providing  itself  with  the  magnificent  system  of 
public  libraries  which  has    been  established  the  accom- 


222  INCOME    TAX. 

panying  table  shows.  The  income  derivable  from  a  rate 
of  2d.  in  the  pound,  to  which  the  expenditure  on  these 
institutions  is  limited,  amounts  in  round  figures,  to 
;^2 5,000  per  annum. 

INCOME   TAX. 

A  few  years  ago  the  Income  Tax  Commissioners 
made  the  discovery  that  the  property  of  the  Public  Library 
Committees  had  till  then  escaped  the  lynx-eyes  of  their 
officials.  This  was  not  to  be  tolerated  longer  and 
accordingly  in  1892  such  property  was  in  various  parts  of 
the  county  scheduled  for  payment  of  income  tax.  Bristol 
and  Manchester  immediately  appealed  against  this  imposi- 
tion. The  Bristol  case  was  tried  first,  and  was  decided 
against  the  Corporation  on  the  ground  that  the  buildings 
assessed  did  not  belong  to  a  "Literary  or  Scientific  Insti- 
tution," within  the  meaning  of  the  Income  Tax  Act. 
This  rebuff"  did  not  alarm  Manchester.  The  Corporation 
of  that  city  determined  to  fight  their  appeal  to  the  end, 
and  the  final  result  of  their  efforts  was  complete  victory, 
and  the  relief  of  the  public  libraries  throughout  the 
country  from  this  additional  load  sought  to  be  laid  upon 
their  already  over-burdened  shoulders.  This  case  was  of 
such  high  importance  to  the  institutions  concerned  and  so 
many  novel,  debatable,  and  vital  points  in  connection 
with  them  were  raised  and  discussed  during  its  progress 
that   a  brief  history  of  it   should   be    placed  on   record. 

When  the  Manchester  Public  Libraries  Committee 
received  in  1892  a  demand  for  Income  Tax  from  the 
Commissioners  of  Inland  Revenue,  they  appealed  locally 
but  postponed  any  further  action  until  the  settlement  of  the 
Bristol  case.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Library  Association  in 
Aberdeen,  in  1893,  the  Chairman  of  the  Manchester 
Libraries  Committee  gave  a  promise  that  Manchester  would 
proceed  with  its  appeal.    It  was  thought  that  the  best  course 


3 1  ST 

MARCH, 

1S99. 

lectric 
ittings. 

Coal,  Gas, 
and  Water. 

Sundries. 

Totals. 

Deduct 
Receipts. 

Totals. 

:   s.   d. 
I   14     3 

"TT^dT 
144  15  10 

141     6     8 

~T      s.     d. 
5388    8  10 

£     s. 
127   18 

1. 
0 

£       s.    d. 
5260  10    0 

— 

104     I     6 

22  10     8 

927     8  10 

8     7 

0 

919     I   10 

- 

97  17     7 

23  18    0 

1043     5     9 

10    0 

0 

1033     5     9 

- 

133     5     8 

20     8     6 

i09[   12     6 

II     9 

8 

1080    2  10 

- 

149  M     5 

15     9     3 

1212  18     4 

7     8 

II 

1205     9     5 

- 

93  16     9 

13     2     I 

768     7  to 

3  13 

II 

764  13  II 

- 

87     7     2 

16     0    0 

1276  17     6 

15     7 

5 

1261   10     I 

- 

68     4    0 

32  18     9 

941     2    0 

40  19 

^ 

900     2     4 

— 

- 

6     5     4 

183     6    0 

- 

183     6    0 

- 

63     4     0 

17  12     3 

662  19    9 

6     5 

9 

656  14    0 

~ 

172     2     4 

38     5  II 

1203     6  10 

144    5 

9 

1059     I     I 

"" 

129    9  10 

26  18     7  !      920  13     3 

10    9 

6 

910    3    9 

52  15     9 

13     6     7 

747     3     6 

31     5 

0 

715  18     6 

— 

45  13     4 

3  12  10 

351   19     6 

26    4 

0 

325  15     6 

- 

58  18  10 

4  16  II 

433  13     5 

3     7 

6 

430    5  II 

- 

28  17     3 

8  14    9 

329     I   II 

- 

329     I   II 

- 

39     7  10 

5  13    8 

285     3     5 

I     9 

9 

283  13     8 

- 

54  18    5 

3  17   10 

410     I     8 

2    8 

9 

407  12  II 

I   14    3 

1524  10    6 

414  18     7      18177  10  10 

1 

451     I 

5 

17726    9     5 

Manchester  Museum. 

£    s.    d. 

hchester  Museum,  Owens  College     

400    0    0 

Lucres t  and  Liquidation  of  Debt. 
tier  Charges  on  New  Loans  and  Renewals 

7   IS 

0 

ebt  (inclu 

ding  Bank  Interest  and  Commission) 

986  14 
464    6 

1458  16 

II 

2 

:  Bank  In 

terest  and  Charges  for  Repayment  of  Loan 

45  18 

6 

1412  17    7 

;^ 

19539    7    0 

PAYMENTS   AND   RECEIPTS    FROM    1ST    APRIL, 


TO   31ST    MARCH,    1S99. 


Salaries  and 
Wages. 

.43  ,r: 

3S1  .0    9 
47S  16    5 
510    5    4 
512  18    0 
415  16    2 
607  18    2 
434  "     6 
92  15     5 
337    7    6 
537    3  11 
390    I  II 
378  14  10 

126  19    7 

■23  14    7 
122  19    3 
208    6    6 

Rent,  Chief 
Rent,  Rates, 
Taxes,  and 

131     7     3 
I   19    6 

54   15     2 
1     5     6 
3'     4     9 
122    8    3 
58    8    9 

33  13    4 

36  .4    4 

19     I  10 

25     2     S 
18  14     4 
18  14     3 
090 
35   10     6 

Books. 

105  16  3 

115  10  6 
112  IS  6 
106  16     2 

63  2  S 
169  12     5 

93  12    5 

45    5     4 

S3     2    5 
72    8    6 

4  '9     8 

5  8  10 
I     7     4 
I   19     8 

Bookbinding. 

Periodicals 

and 

Newspapers. 

Printing, 
Stationery, 

and 
Catalognts. 

Alterations, 
Repairs,  and 

Furniture 
(including 
Painting). 

Electric 
Light. 

Klectric 
Fittings. 

Coal,  Gas, 
and  Water. 

Sundries. 

Totals. 

Deduct 
Receipts. 

Totals. 

Reference  Library      ... 

Ancoals           

Cheetham       

Chorlton          

Deansgale       

Gorton'. 

Hulme 

Longsight        

Moston            

Newton  Heath 

Openshaw       

Rochdale  Road 

Rusholme       

Reading  Rooms  :— 

Bradford          

Chester  Road 

Crumpsall       

Harpurhey      

Hyde  Road     

L    s.  d. 
502  19    5 

S3     6     4 
78     0    0 
99    0     7 

106  2     7 
36  .9     5 

107  13     2 
53     4     2 

33  "0    5 
35  16    8 

61     9    2 
5    8    6 
17   13     6 

I      s.    d. 

112     9     2 
121     8    5 
■30  14    3 
91     7    9 
132  14    2 
97     0     9 
2O  II     6 
88    8    2 
99    8    0 
114  15    6 
88    6    9 

53  IS    9 
So  II     7 

Si  iS    8 

£    s.    d. 
233   19   II 

13   12  II 
35  18    5 
40  16    3 
32  16    3 

6  13  10 

3  19    3 
3  19    7 

2    S     I 

L     s.       d. 
196     2     0 

116  13     7 

18  16     I 
■75  "7    9(*) 

15  12    I 

19  II     3 
67    3    3 

1  7    6 

46  14    2 
48  16    5 

85     3     6 
43     0     5 
loi     8     0 
37     6     I 

2  18     0 

£     s.     A. 
201   19     I 

I    s.    d. 
51  14    3 

I     s.    d. 
144  15   10 

104     I     6 
97   17     7 
^il     5     8 
■49  '4     5 
93   16     9 
87     7     2 
68    4    0 

63    4    0 
172    2    4 
129    9  10 

52  15    9 

45  13    4 
58  iS  10 
28  17     3 
39    7  10 
54  IS    5 

ifl     6    \ 

23  18     0 
20    8     6 
15     9     3 
13     2     I 

32   18     9 
6     5     4 
■7  12    3 
38    5  II 
26  18    7 
13     6     7 

3  12  10 

4  16  II 
8  14    9 

5  13    8 
3  17  10 

C       s.    d. 
5388     8  10 

927     8  10 
■043    5    9 
1091    12     6 
1212  18     4 
768     7   10 
1276  17     6 
941     2     0 
.83     6    0 
662  ,9    9 
1203     6  10 
920  13     3 
747    3    6 

351  19    6 
433  13    5 
329     I  II 
2S5    3    5 
410     I     8 

£   s.  d. 

127   IS  10 

8    7    0 

II     9     8 
7     8  II 
3  ^3  II 
15     7     5 
40  19    S 

6    5    9 
144    5    9 
10    9     6 
3^     5    0 

26    4    0 
3     7     6 

■     9    9 

2    S    9 

5^60  10^0 

919    I  10 
1033     5     9 

1205     9     5 

764  13  II 
I26I  10  I 

900     2     4 
1S3     6     0 
656  14    0 
■059     I     I 
9^o    3     9 
7^5  18    6 

325  .5    6 
430    5  II 
329     I  II 
283  13    8 

I 

8496  II     7 

750  15     6 

2065     2  II 

■325     6     5 

1723  17    4 

48s  12    0 

■■37     2    8 

201   19     I 

5"  ^4    3 

1524  10    6 

414  18    7 

18177  10  10 

45^     I     S 

17726    9    5 

Manchesltr  Museum. 

Contribution  to  Manchester  Mnseum,  Owens  College 

lalcrest  a„d  Liquidalion  cfDebt. 

Stamp  Duty  and  other  Chaiges  on  New  Loans  and  Renewals 715     0 

Interest  on  Loan  Debt  (including  Bank  Interest  and  Commission)        ...     9S6  14  II 

Sinking  Fund 464    6    2 

1458  16     I 
Deduct  Receipts  for  Bank  Interest  and  Charges  for  Repayment  of  Loans      45   'S    6 

NoTl£-(a)  Including  /20.  13s.  for  Transcribing  Manchester  Sessions  MS.,  and  /s  for  Transcribing  Catalogue                                                                                                                                                 

(«)   Including  Contract  for  Shelving  ^80. 

£    s.     d. 
400    0    0 

1412  17    7 

INCOME    TAX.  223 

of  action  would  be  to  endeavour  to  obtain  a  reversal  of 
the  Bristol  judgment  in  the  Queen's  Bench  Division  of  the 
High  Court.  This  meant  in  effect  a  request  to  the  judges, 
Mr.  Justice  Wright,  and  Mr.  Justice  Collins,  who  had 
decided  the  Bristol  case  to  review  their  judgment,  and 
come  to  a  totally  opposite  conclusion.  After  a  careful 
hearing  these  judges  decided  not  to  stultify  themselves, 
but  strongly  recommended  the  appellants  to  carry  the 
case  to  the  Court  of  Appeal.  This  accordingly  was  done 
and  the  case  came  on  for  hearing  on  January  30th,  1895, 
before  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  (Lord  Esher),  and  Lords 
Justices  Lindley  and  Rigby,  and  once  more  suffered  the 
misfortune  of  being  dismissed  with  costs.  But  the  decision 
was  not  unanimous.  Justices  Lindley  and  Rigby  supported 
the  adverse  decision,  but  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  strongly 
opposed  it.  In  delivering  judgment  Lord  Justice  Lindley 
said  he  "  could  not  think  that  a  Municipal  Corporation  or 
body  of  ratepayers  who  by  adopting  the  Public  Libraries 
Act,  have  become  liable  to  be  rated  in  order  to  maintain  a 
public  library  is  a  literary  institution  within  the  meaning  of 
that  phrase  in  Schedule  A,  Part  6,  of  the  Income  Tax  Act, 
1842.  A  literary  or  scientific  institution  supported  by 
rates  is  not  in  my  opinion  such  an  institution  as  was 
contemplated  by  the  legislature.  To  call  the  Corporation 
of  Manchester,  even  in  its  character  of  Library  Authority, 
a  Literary  Institution  is  in  my  opinion  to  misapply  the 
expression,  and  to  extend  the  exemption  to  a  class  of 
cases  to  which  it  was  never  intended  to  apply." 

Lord  Justice  Rigby  said  he  was  of  the  same  opinion, 
and  he  drew  a  distinction  between  the  owners  of  the 
building  and  the  building  itself,  and  the  purposes  to  which 
it  was  devoted.  Though  these  institutions  might  be  said 
to  be  literary  institutions  their  owners  could  not  be 
described  as  a  literary  or  scientific  institution. 


INCOME    TAX.  223 

of  action  would  be  to  endeavour  to  obtain  a  reversal  of 
the  Bristol  judgment  in  the  Queen's  Bench  Division  of  the 
High  Court.  This  meant  in  effect  a  request  to  the  judges, 
Mr.  Justice  Wright,  and  Mr.  Justice  Collins,  who  had 
decided  the  Bristol  case  to  review  their  judgment,  and 
come  to  a  totally  opposite  conclusion.  After  a  careful 
hearing  these  judges  decided  not  to  stultify  themselves, 
but  strongly  recommended  the  appellants  to  carry  the 
case  to  the  Court  of  Appeal.  This  accordingly  was  done 
and  the  case  came  on  for  hearing  on  January  30th,  1895, 
before  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  (Lord  Esher),  and  Lords 
Justices  Lindley  and  Rigby,  and  once  more  suffered  the 
misfortune  of  being  dismissed  with  costs.  But  the  decision 
was  not  unanimous.  Justices  Lindley  and  Rigby  supported 
the  adverse  decision,  but  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  strongly 
opposed  it.  In  delivering  judgment  Lord  Justice  Lindley 
said  he  "  could  not  think  that  a  Municipal  Corporation  or 
body  of  ratepayers  who  by  adopting  the  Public  Libraries 
Act,  have  become  liable  to  be  rated  in  order  to  maintain  a 
public  library  is  a  literary  institution  within  the  meaning  of 
that  phrase  in  Schedule  A,  Part  6,  of  the  Income  Tax  Act, 
1842.  A  literary  or  scientific  institution  supported  by 
rates  is  not  in  my  opinion  such  an  institution  as  was 
contemplated  by  the  legislature.  To  call  the  Corporation 
of  Manchester,  even  in  its  character  of  Library  Authority, 
a  Literary  Institution  is  in  my  opinion  to  misapply  the 
expression,  and  to  extend  the  exemption  to  a  class  of 
cases  to  which  it  was  never  intended  to  apply." 

Lord  Justice  Rigby  said  he  was  of  the  same  opinion, 
and  he  drew  a  distinction  between  the  owners  of  the 
building  and  the  building  itself,  and  the  purposes  to  which 
it  was  devoted.  Though  these  institutions  might  be  said 
to  be  literary  institutions  their  owners  could  not  be 
described  as  a  literary  or  scientific  institution. 


224  INCOME    TAX. 

The  Master  of  the  Rolls  in  dissenting  from  the  views 
of  his  colleagues  made  certain  observations  which  may 
possibly  prove  of  the  utmost  value  in  determining  the 
construction  to  be  placed  upon  the  wording  and  intention 
of  the  Public  Libraries  Acts.  "  I  feel  much  pressed  by 
this"  he  said,  "that  if  the  law  is  as  has  been  stated  it  must 
have  been  about  as  severe  a  blow  to  the  intention  of  the 
Legislature  when  they  passed  the  Public  Libraries  Act  as 
can  be  given,  for  the  case  would  stand  thus  :  That  if  any 
person  is  willing  to  give  a  building  or  land  of  his  for  the 
purpose  of  a  public  library  he  gives  up  all  control  of  that 
land,  he  has  no  power  to  take  it  back,  he  has  no  power  to 
sell  it,  he  has  no  power  to  interfere  with  it,  he  gets  nothing 
from  it,  but  he  gives  it  for  the  purpose  of  a  public  library 
to  be  enjoyed  by  other  people  than  himself,  and  he  is  left 
to  pay  this  tax  to  the  government  for  the  rest  of  his  life 
or  for  ever.  Well,  I  should  say  that  anything  more  absurd 
than  such  legislation,  if  it  is  the  legislation,  which  was 
meant  to  encourage  people  to  give  their  land  or  to  give 
their  property  for  these  public  libraries,  cannot  well  be 
imagined." 

Then  he  proceeded  to  define  the  position  of  a  Mayor 
and  Corporation,  in  their  general  and  ordinary  capacity, 
as  regards  the  ownership  of  any  building  devoted  to  public 
library  purposes,  and  to  the  expression  of  views  which,  if 
acted  upon,  may  lead  to  friction  and  even  litigation 
between  library  committees  and  the  body  by  whom 
they  may  have  been  appointed.  "  The  first  thing  in  my 
opinion,"  he  contends  "  is  this,  that  they  (the  Mayor,  &c.) 
are  not  the  owners  of  this  building  in  that  capacity — they 
are  not  the  owners  at  all,  and  if  they  are  not  the  owners 
at  all  they  cannot  be  made  liable  to  this  tax.  These 
buildings  did  belong  to  the  Corporation  of  Manchester, 
but  they  resolved  to  give  them  up — to  turn  them  into  free 


INCOME    TAX.  225 

libraries."  He  then  argues  that  the  Corporation  of  Man- 
chester in  its  capacity  as  Urban  Authority  had  delegated 
these  libraries  and  the  property  connected  therewith  to  a 
"Library  Authority"  and  such  property  was  vested  in 
them.  He  continues  "Now  what  are  the  Library 
Authority  with  regard  to  that  land.  It  is  vested  in  them, 
they  never  can  receive  any  benefit  from  it ;  they  are 
obliged  to  deal  with  it  solely  for  the  purposes  of  the 
library.  It  seems  to  me  that  they  are  nothing  but  bare 
Trustees  for  the  people  who  use  the  library.  They  are  the 
Library  Authority — not  the  Corporation  of  Manchester, 
mind.  If  the  Corporation  of  Manchester  attempted  to 
intermeddle  with  this  thing  at  all,  in  their  capacity  of 
Corporation,  I  should  say  they  would  be  doing  that  which 
they  have  no  possible  right  to  do.  In  my  opinion  the 
proper  inference  is  that  they  (the  Legislature)  in  1892 
intended  to  put  these  free  libraries  within  the  exception 
in  the  Act  of  1842.  If  they  have  not  done  it  they  have 
defeated  their  own  object  in  the  greatest  measure." 

This  strong  dissention  on  the  part  of  so  eminent  an 
authority  encouraged  the  Manchester  Committee  to  con- 
tinue the  combat,  but  as  much  expense  had  been  already 
incurred  they  appealed  to  the  Free  Library  Committees 
throughout  the  country  for  assistance  in  carrying  the  suit  to 
the  highest  court  in  the  realm — the  House  of  Lords.  Their 
request  was  promptly  responded  to  and  a  sum  of  ;^300 
was  guaranteed.  An  action  was  entered  accordingly  and 
the  case  was  heard  before  the  Lord  Chancellor  (Lord 
Halsbury),  Lord  Herschell,  Lord  Macnaghten,  and  Lord 
Morris.  After  an  exhaustive  hearing  judgment  was  finally 
given  nearly  six  months  later,  in  favour  of  the  appellants. 
Thus  after  four  persevering  efforts  this  important  victory 
was  won,  and  another  obstacle  in  the  somewhat  thorny 
path  of  the  free  library  movement  was  removed. 
P 


226  INCOME    TAX. 

During  the  progress  of  the  case  some  curious  and 
interesting  points  were  debated.  One  of  these  was  "  Is  a 
PubHc  Library  a  Hterary  institution  ?  "  Such  a  question 
seems  too  simple  to  be  serious,  but  it  gave  the  legal 
quidnuncs  much  scope  for  learned  discussion,  the  gist  of 
it  turning  however  on  the  meaning  attachable  to  the  word 
"  institution."  Even  the  dictionary  was  called  upon  for  an 
authoritative  pronouncement,  but  its  definitions  also  got 
terribly  belaboured,  until  the  Lord  Chancellor  had  to 
admit  that  "  if  you  begin  to  apply  rigorous  rules  of  verbal 
accuracy  to  phrases  contained  in  a  Statute,  I  do  not  know 
where  we  shall  be."  The  Lord  Chancellor  based  his 
disagreement  with  the  view  of  the  majority  of  the  court 
on  the  assumption  that  the  legislature  in  passing  the 
Income  Tax  Act  of  1842  intended  the  exemption  to 
apply  to  institutions  then  in  existence  and  whose  con- 
stitutions and  objects  were  well  known.  Lord  Herschell 
in  the  course  of  his  judgment  said  :  "  Apart  from  any 
question  of  the  ownership  of  the  buildings  and  of  the 
maintenance  of  the  libraries  by  a  rate  levied  on  the 
occupiers  within  the  city,  I  do  not  think  it  was  doubted 
that  a  public  free  library  is  a  literary  institution.  Its 
object  is  to  spread  a  knowledge  and  love  of  literature 
among  the  people.  Such  an  institution  is  in  my  opinion 
quite  aptly  termed  literary.  The  difficulty  arises  from  the 
other  words  used.  To  be  exempted  the  building  must  be 
'  the  property  of  a  literary  institution.'  What  was  meant 
by  this  was  property  appropriated  to  and  applied  for  its 
purposes.  I  think,  therefore,  that  even  though  the 
Corporation  of  Manchester  in  whom  the  buildings,  the 
taxation  of  which  is  now  in  question,  are  vested,  cannot  be 
said  to  be  itself  a  literary  institution,  nevertheless,  the 
buildings  being  appropriated  for  the  purposes  of  free 
public  libraries,  being  devoted  exclusively  to  that  use,  and 


INCOME    TAX.  227 

incapable  of  being  legally  applied  to  any  other  purpose, 
may  properly  be  said  to  be  the  property  of  a  literary 
institution." 

Lord  Macnaghten  considered  that  the  Legislature 
intended  that  the  character  of  the  institution,  not  the 
circumstances  of  its  origin  or  the  means  by  which  it  was 
established  or  supported,  should  give  rise  to  the  claim  for 
exemption.  He  could  not  see  that  it  mattered  in  the  very 
least  in  whom  the  legal  ownership  of  public  library 
buildings  was  vested,  provided  the  buildings  themselves 
are  legally  appropriated  to  the  purposes  of  the  institution. 

By  this  judgment  three  important  points  have  been 
definitely  settled.  We  know  now  that  free  libraries  are 
"literary  institutions,"  that  corporations  are  "literary 
institutions,"  and  that  property  devoted  to  public  library 
purposes  is  exempt  from  income  tax. 

Now  that  the  Government  has  been  beaten,  it 
naturally  follows  that  efforts  will  be  made  to  shake  off 
the  burden  of  local  taxation.  The  act  exempting  literary 
institutions  from  these  imposts  expressly  stipulates  that 
they  must  be  supported  "  wholly  or  in  part  by  annual 
voluntary  subscriptions."  This  will  form  the  difficulty  to 
be  overcome.  But  those  who  may  be  contemplating  a 
tilt  against  the  authorities  anent  this  question,  may  well 
take  heart  of  grace  from  the  words  of  the  Government's 
own  advocate  Mr.  Danckwerts,  who  in  the  course  of  his 
argument  made  these  important  admissions  : — 

"  The  contest  here  is  between  imperial  and  local 
taxation,  and  the  question  is  whether,  when  buildings  of 
this  sort  become  appropriated  under  the  Public  Libraries 
Act,  they  shall  cease  to  contribute  to  imperial  taxation, 
although  they  are  still  liable  to  local  taxation.  I  submit 
that  all  the  reasons  which  a  priori  would  have  made  in 
favour  of  exemption  from  imperial  taxation  apply  equally 


228  RULES,   REGULATIONS,    AND   BYE-LAWS. 

to  local  taxation.  I  submit  that  there  is  no  greater 
reason  why  they  should  be  exempt  from  one  kind  of 
taxation  than  from  the  other  kind  of  taxation." 

In  these  words  is  encouragement  and  hope  enough. 
And  after  all  it  is  merely  a  legal  cobweb  that  needs  be 
swept  away,  for  on  the  grounds  of  equity  or  reasonable- 
ness local  taxation  of  these  useful  institutions  is  more 
undefensible  and  iniquitous  than  even  the  proposed 
imperial  extortion  which  has  been  so  successfully  resisted. 

RULES,    REGULATIONS,    AND    BYE-LAWS. 

In  the  measures  and  methods  adopted  for  working 
the  public  libraries  modifications  and  changes  have  been 
made  from  time  to  time  as  experience  was  acquired,  or  a 
more  liberal  spirit  prevailed.  At  their  commencement  the 
Reference  Library  was  open  to  the  public  every  day, 
except  Sundays,  Christmas  Day,  and  Good  Friday,  from 
ten  in  the  morning  to  nine  at  night,  and  the  Lending 
Library  from  noon  to  two  o'clock,  and  from  six  to  nine 
in  the  evening,  except  on  Saturdays,  when  the  library  was 
open  from  twelve  to  nine.  Now  the  Reference  Library 
is  open  from  9  a.m.  to  10  p.m.  every  week  day,  the 
additional  hour  of  access  both  morning  and  evening 
having  been  adopted  in  1886,  and  also  on  Sundays  from 
two  to  nine  o'clock.  It  is  closed  only  on  Christmas  Day 
and  Good  Friday.  With  the  growth  of  the  branch 
library  and  newsroom  system  the  hours  during  which  the 
institutions  are  open,  and  in  which  the  business  connected 
with  them  is  transacted,  have  necessarily  completely 
changed,  and  will  be  found  detailed  in  the  "  Directions  to 
Readers  and  Borrowers,"  given  on  page  233. 

The  clumsy  process  of  causing  all  persons  on  entering 
the  library  to  write  their  names  and  addresses  in  a  book 
provided  for  the   purpose,   and   only  allowing   them    to 


RULES,    REGULATIONS,    AND   BYE-LAWS.  229 

receive  books  after  such  signature  was  obtained,  formed 
one  of  Mr.  Edwards's  "  Provisional  Rules,"  but  it  was  soon 
abandoned,  and  restriction  of  entry  entirely  swept  away. 
For  the  procurement  of  books  to  read  in  either  the 
Reference  or  Lending  Libraries,  a  printed  form  was  sub- 
stituted for  the  register,  and  this  system  is  still  in  use. 

No  one  was  allowed  free  access  to  any  books,  but  had 
to  find  whatsoever  was  required  by  means  of  the  cata- 
logues. Now  cases  are  provided  in  all  the  libraries,  wherein 
the  latest  additions  are  displayed,  books  are  freely  shown 
to  borrowers  to  facilitate  their  choice,  and  both  in  the 
Reference  and  Lending  Libraries  open  shelves  containing 
a  selection  of  books  for  reference  are  accessible  to  every- 
one without  formality  of  any  kind. 

Originally  it  was  deemed  prudent  to  require  the  signa- 
tures of  two  ratepayers  as  guarantors  for  a  borrower's 
honesty.  Not  only  have  these  been  reduced  to  one,  but 
in  case  the  intending  borrower  is  an  elector  of  either 
Manchester  or  Salford  he  may  be  his  own  guarantor. 
The  guarantee  form  in  the  early  days  must  have  been 
delivered  to  the  Librarian  three  days  before  books  could 
be  obtained,  in  order  that  the  verifications  required  might 
be  elaborately  made.  Now  the  form  is  examined  on 
delivery,  and  if  found  correct  books  ma}^  be  borrowed 
without  further  delay. 

In  1879  Bye-laws  for  the  regulation  of  the  libraries 
were  drawn  up  by  the  Committee,  sanctioned  by  the 
Council,  and  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  are 
now  in  force.     They  are  as  follows  : — 

BYE- LAWS   OF   THE   PUBLIC   FREE    LIBRARIES, 
CITY   OF   MANCHESTER. 
The  Mayor,  Aldermen,  and   Citizens  of  the  City  of 
Manchester,  in  the  County  of  Lancaster,  being  assembled  in 


230  BYE-LAWS. 

Council  in  the  Town  Hall,  in  the  said  city,  on  Wednesday, 
the  third  day  of  September,  1879,  and  more  than  two- 
thirds  in  number  of  the  whole  Council  being  present,  do 
hereby,  in  pursuance  of  "  The  Manchester  Improvement 
Act,  1 87 1,"  make  the  following  Bye-laws  : — 

1.  In  construing  these  Bye-laws  the  word  "  Library "  shall 
mean  any  and  every  Public  Free  Library  for  the  time  being 
belonging  to  or  vested  in  or  under  the  control  of  the  said 
Council,  and  the  several  rooms,  passages,  and  staircases  thereof, 
and  the  word  "  Librarian  "  shall  include  the  principal  Librarian 
and  his  assistants,  and  the  word  "  Book  "  shall  include  news- 
papers, pamphlets,  pictures,  engravings,  maps,  plans,  and  other 
articles  of  a  like  nature ;  and  all  words  importing  the  masculine 
gender  shall  be  deemed  and  taken  to  include  females,  and  the 
singular  to  include  the  plural,  and  the  plural  the  singular. 

2.  Every  such  library  shall  be  open  to  the  public  gratuitously 
daily  throughout  the  year,  with  the  exception  of  Christmas  Day, 
Good  Friday,  and  such  other  days,  if  any,  as  the  Libraries 
Committee  of  the  said  Council  shall  direct,  and  during  such 
hours  as  the  said  Committee  shall  direct.  No  person  shall  enter 
or  remain  in  any  Hbrary  except  whilst  it  is  open  to  the  public  as 
aforesaid. 

3.  No  person  who  is  in  a  state  of  intoxication,  or  is 
uncleanly  in  person  or  dress,  or  who  is  suffering  from  an 
infectious  or  offensive  disease,  shall  be  admitted  to  or  allowed  to 
remain  in  any  library.  No  person  shall  be  allowed  to  lie  on  the 
benches  or  chairs,  or  to  sleep  in  any  library,  or  to  interfere  with 
the  arrangements  for  conducting  it,  or  with  the  comfort  of  the 
readers  therein,  or  to  use  the  same  for  any  purpose  for  which  it 
is  not  intended.  No  conversation  shall  be  permitted  in  any 
library.  No  person  shall  partake  of  refreshments,  or  smoke, 
spit,  strike  matches,  or  bring  a  dog  into  any  library.  The 
admission  of  persons  under  14  years  of  age  to  any  reading  room 
shall  be  in  the  discredon  of  the  Librarian. 

4.  No  person  shall  pass  within  the  enclosures  of  any 
library,  or  take  any  book  from  the  shelves. 

5.  Every  person  desiring  to  read  books  in  any  library  shall 


BYE-LAWS.  231 

write  his  true  name  and  place  of  abode,  and  the  title  and  number 
in  the  catalogue  of  the  book  required  by  him,  on  a  ticket 
provided  for  that  purpose,  which  is  to  be  delivered  to  the 
Librarian  ;  and  shall  before  leaving  the  room  return  such  book 
into  the  hands  of  the  Librarian,  and  shall  not,  under  any 
circumstances,  take  the  same  out  of  the  room. 

6.  Books  will  be  lent  from  the  lending  department  of  each 
library  to  an  elector  of  Manchester  or  Salford,  on  his  signing  a 
voucher  in  the  presence  of  the  Librarian,  or  to  a  non-elector 
upon  the  production  of  a  voucher  for  the  safe  return  of  the 
books,  signed  by  a  person  enrolled  -.on  the  List  of  Citizens  of 
Manchester,  or  on  the  List  of  Burgesses  of  Salford,  or  on  the 
Parliamentary  Lists  of  Manchester  or  Salford,  such  vouchers  to 
be  on  the  forms  provided  for  the  purpose. 

7.  Any  person  who  shall  deliver,  or  permit  to  be  delivered, 
to  the  Librarian  any  voucher  which  shall  not  have  been  actually 
signed  by  the  citizen,  burgess,  or  elector  by  whom  it  purports  to 
have  been  signed,  or  some  person  duly  authorised  by  him,  or 
wherein  any  false  statement  is  made,  shall  be  subject  to  a 
penalty  not  exceeding  £,^ ;  and  any  person  not  being  the 
intending  borrower  named  in  any  voucher,  or  authorised  by  him, 
who  shall  attempt  to  use  the  same,  shall  be  subject  to  the  like 
penalty. 

8.  In  exchange  for  the  voucher  above  mentioned  the 
Librarian  will  deliver  to  the  applicant  a  borrower's  card,  which 
must  be  produced  on  every  application  for  a  book.  Any  person 
who  is  not  named  in  the  said  card,  or  authorised  by  him,  who 
shall  make  use  of  the  same  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  book 
or  books,  shall  be  Uable  to  a  penalty  not  exceeding  ^^5.  The 
lending  register  of  any  library  shall  be  sufficient  evidence  that 
the  book  therein  named  has  been  lent  to  the  person  whose  name 
is  written  opposite  the  same  on  the  date  therein  specified. 

9.  No  person  shall  be  eligible  to  borrow  books  from  more 
than  one  lending  department  at  the  same  time  ;  but  any  borrower 
who  has  conformed  to  these  Bye-laws  may  have  his  card 
transferred  from  one  lending  department  to  another.  No  person 
shall  have  more  than  one  borrower's  card,  nor  be  allowed  more 
than  one  book  or  set  of  books,  at  the  same  time. 


232  B  YE-LA  WS. 

10.  Every  person  taking  out  a  book  from  any  lending  depart- 
ment under  the  foregoing  regulations  must  return  the  same 
within  the  period  specified  on  the  label  of  such  book,  and  must, 
whether  such  period  has  expired  or  not,  return  the  same  in 
accordance  with  any  public  notice  calling  in  books  posted  in  the 
library  from  which  the  same  shall  have  been  borrowed. 

11.  If  any  book  be  not  returned  in  accordance  with  the 
regulations  herein  contained,  or  if  it  be  returned  torn,  cut,  soiled, 
written  in,  or  with  leaves  turned  down,  or  otherwise  injured,  the 
borrower  shall  pay  to  the  Committee  such  a  sum  of  money  as 
will  replace  such  book  or  sat  of  books  to  which  it  belongs,  or 
be  a  full  compensation  for  the  damage  or  loss  sustained  by  the 
library.  If  the  borrower  shall  not  make  such  payment,  the 
citizen,  burgess,  or  elector  whose  name  is  subscribed  to  such 
voucher  shall,  on  demand,  pay  to  the  Committee  such  sum  of 
money  as  aforesaid.  When  a  new  copy  of  a  book  or  set  of  books 
has  been  provided  in  lieu  of  that  or  those  injured,  the  person  at 
whose  cost  the  same  shall  have  been  so  provided  will  be  entitled 
to  the  damaged  copy  or  remaining  volumes,  each  volume  being 
stamped  "  Sold  from  the  Manchester  Public  Free  Libraries." 
Books  stolen  or  lost  shall  continue  the  property  of  the  Council, 
although  replaced  or  paid  for. 

12.  Any  person  suffering  from  an  infectious  disease  who 
shall  borrow,  read,  or  use  any  book  from  any  library,  or  any 
person  having  a  book  from  any  library  who  shall  permit  the 
same  to  be  used  by  anyone  suffering  from  an  infectious  disease, 
shall  be  liable  to  a  penalty  not  exceeding  £^. 

13.  Any  person  selling,  pledging,  pawning,  or  disposing  of, 
or  purchasing  or  advancing  money  upon  any  book,  newspaper, 
or  other  article,  from  any  library,  or  attempting  so  to  do,  shall 
forfeit  and  pay  a  penalty  not  exceeding  ^5. 

14.  No  person  shall  write  upon  any  book,  or  shall  soil, 
damage,  mutilate,  or  deface  such  book,  or  the  walls  or  windows 
of  any  library,  or  the  furniture  or  fittings  thereof,  or  any  property 
of  the  Council  connected  therewith. 

15.  Any  person  offending  against  the  foregoing  Bye-laws 
may  (whether  or  not  he  has  been  convicted  before  Her  Majesty's 
Justices  of  the    Peace  in  respect  of  such  offence)  be  excluded 


DIRECTIONS    TO   READERS  AND   BORROWERS.       233 

from  the  use  of  every  library  for  such  period  as  the  said  Com- 
mittee may  determine. 

16.  The  Librarian,  and  any  police  constable  instructed  by 
him,  may  exclude  or  remove  from  any  hbrary  all  idle  or  disorderly 
persons  who  are  not  using  such  place  for  the  purpose  for  which 
it  is  intended,  or  who  have,  in  the  opinion  of  such  Librarian, 
been  guilty  of  a  breach  of  any  of  these  Bye-laws  or  of  any 
public  law. 

To  facilitate  the  use  of  the  lending  libraries  and  the 
newsrooms  by  the  public,  these  directions  have  been 
prepared  and  are  expected  to  be  observed. 

DIRECTIONS   TO   READERS   AND   BORROWERS. 

1.  The  lending  department  is  open  for  the  delivery  and 
return  of  books  from  8-30  a.m.  to  9-0  p.m.  every  day,  except 
Sundays,  Christmas  Day,  and  Good  Friday.  On  Saturday  the 
issue  of  books  to  borrowers  ceases  at  5-0  o'clock.  The  news- 
room is  open  daily  from  8-30  a.m.  to  10-0  p.m.,  except  Christmas 
Day  and  Good  Friday,  and  is  also  open  on  Sundays,  from 
2-0  p.m.  to  9-0  p.m.  The  Boys'  Reading  Room  is  open  from 
6-0  to  9-0  every  evening. 

2.  Admission  to  the  newsroom  is  free. 

3.  Books  may  be  obtained  to  read  in  the  newsroom  by 
signing  a  reader's  ticket,  which  may  be  had  on  application. 
Books  so  obtained  are  not,  under  any  circumstances,  to  be  taken 
out  of  the  newsroom. 

4.  Persons,  being  non-electors,  wishing  to  borrow  books  to 
read  at  home  must  obtain  the  signature  of  some  person  whose 
name  is  either  on  the  List  of  Citizens  of  Manchester  or  on  the  List 
of  Burgesses  of  Salford,  or  on  the  Parliamentary  Registers  of 
Manchester  or  Salford,  who  shall  sign  the  following  voucher  for 
the  safe  return  of  the  books  : — 

I  undertake  to  pay,  in  respect  of  any  book  lielonging  to  the  Cor- 
poration  OF   Manchester,    which  shall  be  issued  in  the  name  of 

of 
and  which  shall  be  injured  or  not  duly  returned,  such  sum  of  money  as 
will  replace  such  book,  or  the  set  of  books  to  which  it  belongs.    Sifi;nature 
of  Guarantor 

Ward  and  Address  of  Guarantor 
Dated  this  day  of       '  18 


234       DIRECTIONS    TO  READERS  AND  BORROWERS. 

Any  elector  of  Manchester  or  Salford  may  obtain  books  for  home 
reading  after  signing  a  voucher  in  the  form  provided,  of  which 
the  following  is  a  copy. 

I,  the  undersigned,  being  an  Elector  of 
and  being  desirous  of  Borrowing  Books,  to  take  home  for  reading,  and 
knowing  the  Bye-laws  and  Regulations  of  the  Manchester  Public 
Free  Libraries,  hereby  apply  for  a  Borrower's  Card,  entitling  me  to 
Borrow  Books  from  the  Lending  Branch. 

If  any  Book  issued  in  my  name  should  be  damaged  or  not  duly 
returned,  I  engage  to  pay  such  sum  of  money  as  will,  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  Librarian,  compensate  for,  or  replace  such  book  or  the  set  of 
volumes  to  which  such  book  belongs  ;  and,  further,  I  engage  to  con- 
form in  all  other  respects  to  the  Bye-laws  and  Regulations  of  the 
Manxhester  Public  Free  Libraries. 

Dated  this  day  of 

/  Name 


Signature 


Witness. 


Occupation. 

Address  or  Residence, 
Ward 


Librarian  or  Assistant  Librarian. 
N.B. — This  application  must  be  signed  in  the  presence  of  the  Branch 
Librarian  or  his  Assistant  and  left  with  him  for  examination. 

Printed  voucher  forms  may  be  had  on  application.  The  voucher, 
when  duly  signed  and  found  correct,  will  be  exchanged  for  a 
borrower's  card,  which,  in  the  case  of  electors,  will  have  to  be 
renewed  every  year,  and  of  non-electors  every  three  years. 

5.  Every  person  on  obtaining  a  borrower's  card  must  write 
his  or  her  name,  occupation,  and  residence  in  a  book  provided 
for  that  purpose  ;  and  such  signature  shall  be  taken  and  con- 
sidered to  be  an  assent  to  the  Bye-laws. 

6.  It  is  desirable  that  books  should  be  appUed  for  by  the 
borrowers  personally.  When  they  cannot  conveniently  visit  the 
library,  they  are  requested  to  send  a  messenger  competent  to 
deliver  their  messages  and  to  take  due  care  of  the  books.  The 
librarian  has  instructions  to  refuse  books  to  messengers  who  are 
not  able  to  take  proper  care  of  them. 

7.  Borrowers  returning  their  books  are  expected  not  to  leave 
them  on  the  counter,  or  give  them  into  the  hands  of  strangers, 
but  to  deliver  them  to  the  Librarian,  or  his  assistant,  the  borrower 
being  held  responsible  for  books  not  so  delivered. 


DIRECTIONS   TO  READERS  AND   BORROWERS.       235 

8.  The  same  borrower  is  not  eligible  to  borrow  books  from 
more  than  one  lending  branch  at  a  time,  but  borrowers  may  have 
their  cards  transferred  temporarily  or  permanently  from  one 
branch  to  another. 

9.  Borrowers  are  cautioned  against  losing  their  cards,  as  they 
will  be  held  responsible  for  any  book  or  books  which  may  be 
taken  out  of  the  library  by  the  use  of  their  cards  until  the  period 
for  which  the  card  is  granted  has  expired.  Lost  cards  can  be 
replaced  subject  to  this  responsibility. 

10.  Any  change  in  the  residence  of  borrowers  or  their 
guarantors  must  be  intimated  to  the  Librarian  within  one  week  of 
such  change.  Inattention  to  this  direction  will  render  the 
borrower's  card  liable  to  suspension. 

11.  Borrowers  are  requested  to  use  tbe  books  carefully,  to 
keep  them  clean,  not  to  fold  down  the  leaves,  nor  make  marks  of 
any  kind  in  them. 

12.  Borrowers  leaving  town,  or  ceasing  to  use  the  library, 
are  required  to  return  their  cards  to  the  Librarian  in  order  to  have 
their  guarantees  cancelled,  otherwise  they  and  their  guarantors 
will  be  held  responsible  for  any  books  taken  out  in  their  names. 

13.  On  asking  for  books,  the  title  should  be  legibly  written 
down,  with  the  number  and  class  letter  affixed  to  it  in  the  index 
catalogue  ;  and  it  is  recommended  that  a  list  of  at  least  twenty 
books  in  the  order  wanted  should  be  furnished  in  all  cases  of 
works  in  general  demand,  as  many  of  them  may  be  out  at  the 
time. 

14.  No  book  can  be  engaged  beforehand  ;  but  the  borrower 
who  first  applies  for  a  book  after  it  has  been  returned  is  entitled 
to  have  it. 

15.  The  period  of  loan  may  be  renewed  on  presenting  the 
book,  or  by  postal  card,  provided  it  is  not  in  request  by  any  other 
borrower.  Postal  cards  must  contain  the  class  letter,  name,  and 
number  of  the  book,  the  date  of  issue,  and  the  borrower's  signa- 
ture. They  must  also  be  received  before  the  expiration  of  the 
time  allowed  for  reading  the  book. 

16.  Borrowers  detaining  books  beyond  the  time  allowed  for 
reading  will  incur  the  risk  of  having  their  privilege  to  borrow 
suspended  or  forfeited,  and  of  having  a  special  messenger  sent  for 
the  books  at  their  expense. 


236       DIRECTIONS   TO   READERS  AND  BORROWERS. 

17.  Borrowers  should  bear  in  mind  that  all  have  equal  claims 
to  the  use  of  the  library,  and  each  can  only  be  attended  to  in  turn. 

18.  Printed  catalogues  may  be  purchased  at  the  library  ;  and 
copies  of  the  same,  with  a  manuscript  catalogue  of  the  current 
additions,  are  placed  on  the  library  counter  for  reference. 

19.  The  Librarian  will  receive  suggestions  from  readers  as  to 
any  books  they  may  consider  desirable  to  be  introduced  into  the 
library,  and  such  suggestions  will  be  submitted  to  the  Committee 
for  their  consideration. 

20.  Special  attention  is  called  to  the  following  clause  of  24 
and  25  Victoria,  cap.  xcvii.  : — 

"Whosoever  shall  unlawfully  and  maliciously  destroy  or 
"  damage  any  thing  kept  for  the  purposes  of  art,  science,  or 
"  literature... in  any. ..library. ..open  for  the  admission  of  the 
"  public... shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanour,  and,  being  duly 
"  convicted  thereof,  shall  be  liable  to  be  imprisoned  for  any 
"  period  not  exceeding  six  months,  with  or  without  hard 
"labour." 

"  ...Any  person  found  committing  any  offence  against 
"  this  Act  may  be  immediately  apprehended,  without  a 
"  warrant,  by  any  other  person  and  forthwith  taken  before 
"  some  neighbouring  Justice  of  the  Peace,  to  be  dealt  with 
"  according  to  law." 


THE  REFERENCE  LIBRARY, 


GUIDE  TO   ITS   CONTENTS  AND  USE. 


w 

1 


ITH  the  exception  of  Christmas  Day  and  Good 
Friday  the  Reference  Library  is  open  every 
day  from  9  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  10  at 
night,  and  on  Sundays  from  2  to  9  p.m.  It 
contains  nearly  120,000  volumes,  and  there  is  sitting 
accommodation  for  about  200  persons.  It  is  divided  into 
two  portions,  the  upper  and  lower  reading  rooms.  In  the 
upper  reading  room,  which  is  one  of  the  largest  and  finest 
rooms  devoted  to  a  like  purpose  in  the  country,  any  book 
or  magazine  possessed  by  the  library  may  be  consulted, 
but  it  is  considered  preferable  that  those  kept  in  the  lower 
reading  room  should  be  asked  for  there.  The  lower 
reading  room  is  specially  allotted  to 

I.  Specifications  of  Patents,  of  which  a  complete 
set,  numbering  about  7,000  volumes,  and  dating  from  1617, 
is  provided,  and  kept  up  to  date  by  the  addition  of  every 
specification  as  soon  as  it  is  received  from  the  Patent 
Office.  Space  being  imperatively  needed  for  the  ordinary 
accumulations  of  the  library,  the  Patents  have  been 
temporarily  transferred  to  the  Deansgate  Branch,  where 
they  can  be  consulted  during  the  whole  time  that  the  library 
is  open. 


238  SPECIFICATIONS   OF  PATENTS. 

In  Manchester  the  only  approach  to  a  well-equipped 
library  of  specifications  of  patents  is  the  patents'  depart- 
ment of  the  Free  Reference  Library,  which  contains  all 
the  publications  of  the  English  Patent  Office,  though  it  is 
weak  in  the  publications  of  foreign  offices.  The  number 
of  separate  specifications  is  something  like  half  a  million. 
The  specifications  from  1652  to  1875  are  classified  by 
subjects,  and  those  of  later  date  are  arranged  in  chrono- 
logical order.  The  specifications  are  made  accessible  by 
means  of  annual  indexes  of  the  names  of  patentees,  and 
of  the  subject  matter  of  the  patents,  and  further  help  is 
given  by  the  Abridgments  of  Specifications,  which  are  handy 
volumes  giving  an  outline  of  the  purport  of  each  specifica- 
tion. Some  of  the  abridgments,  unfortunately  lose  much 
of  their  value  by  not  being  brought  up  to  date.  In- 
dispensable to  the  searcher  is  the  Patents'  Journal,  which 
contains  lists  of  the  most  recent  patents,  information  as  to 
patents  which  have  lapsed,  and  at  times  reports  of  patent 
law  cases.  Besides  the  English  patents,  there  are,  the 
Journal  o{  the.  United  States  Patent  Office  from  1856  to 
1 87 1  and  from  1880  to  the  present  year,  and  the  complete 
specifications  of  United  States  patents  have  been  filed 
since  1897.  The  number  of  patents  issued  each  year  in 
the  United  States  is  over  twenty  thousand,  making  about 
100  thick  volumes  annually.  Of  Canadian  Patent  Office 
publications,  the  library  contains  the  Record  irova  1873. 
A  few  publications  of  the  Victorian,  Queensland,  and  French 
Patent  Offices  are  also  in  the  collection.  An  important 
city  like  Manchester  ought  to  have  a  patent  library  where 
the  full  specifications  of  every  country  could  be  consulted  ; 
but  the  resources  of  the  Free  Libraries  Committee  are 
inadequate  to  the  provision  and  maintenance  of  such  a 
library,  which  would  be  very  costly,  even  were  the  speci- 
fications themselves  presented. 


DIRECTORIES. 


239 


2.  Directories,  English, 
others,  as  follows  : — 


Foreign,    Mercantile,  and 


ENGLISH. 


Altrincham,  Bowdon,  Sale,  &c. 
Bedfordshire,    Huntingdonshire,   and 

Northamptonshire. 
Belfast. 
Berkshire,  Buckinghamshire,  and 

Oxfordshire. 
Birmingham. 
Bradford. 

Bristol  and  Clifton. 
Cambridgeshire,  Norfolk,  and  Suffolk. 
Cardiff. 

Channel  Islands. 
Derbyshire,  Nottinghamshire, 

Leicestershire,  and  Rutland. 
Devonshire  and  Cornwall. 
Durham,  Northumberland, 

Westmorland,  and  Cumberland. 
Edinburgh  and  Leith. 
Essex,  Hertfordshire,  and  Middlesex. 
Glasgow. 
Gloucestershire,  Somersetshire,  and 

City  of  Bristol. 
Grimsby. 
Hampshire,    Wiltshire,    Dorsetshire, 

and  Channel  Islands. 
Herefordshire  and  Shropshire. 
Hull. 
Ireland. 
Isle  of  Man. 

Kent,  Surrey,  and  Sussex. 
Lancashire. 


Leicestershire  and  Rutland  (Wright's). 

Leeds 

Levenshulme,  Heaton  Chapel,  &c. 

Lincolnshire  and  Hull. 

Liverpool  (Gore's). 

Liverpool  and  Birkenhead  (Kelly's). 

London. 

London  Suburbs. 

Manchester,  Salford,  and  Suburbs. 

Monmouthshire  and  South  Wales. 

Munster. 

North  Shields,  South  Shields,  Jarrow, 
Sunderland,  Gateshead. 

Northamptonshire. 

Nottingham  and  District  (Wright's). 

Nottinghamshire  (White's). 

Oldham. 

Prestwich,  Eccles,  Patricroft,  &c. 

Scotland. 

Sheffield. 

Southport  and  Birkdale  (Slater's). 

Southport. 

Staffordshire,  Warwickshire,  Worces- 
tershire. 

Wales,  North  and  Mid. 

Warrington,  St.  Helen's,  and  Widnes. 

Wellingborough. 

York  (White's). 

Yorkshire  West  Ridings. 

,,  North  and  East  Ridings. 


FOREIGN  AND  COLONIAL. 


Alsace-Lorraine. 

Argentina. 

Argus   Annual    and    South    African 

Directory. 
Australia — 

West  Australia. 

South  Australia. 

New  South  Wales. 

Queensland. 

Victoria. 

New  South  Wales  (Hall's)* 
Basel,  Adressbuch. 
Belgium. 
Berlin. 
Brazil. 

British  Columbia. 
British  Guiana. 
Canada. 
Ceylon. 


China,    Japan,    Straits   Settlements, 

&c. 
Egypt. 
France    f  P^Partments. 

C  Etranger. 
Germany. 
Hungary. 
India. 
Italy. 
Mexico. 
Natal. 

Netherlands. 
New  York  City. 
New  Zealand. 
Paris. 
Portugal. 
Rio  de  Janeiro. 
Russia. 
South  Africa. 


240 


DIRECTORIES. 


FOREIGN    AND    Q,0\.0^lh\..—Conti7tued. 
Singapore  and  Straits  Settlements. 


Switzerland. 

Tasmania. 

Toronto. 


Turkey  (Annuaire  Oriental). 

United  States. 

Vienna. 

Westphalia. 


MERCANTILE   AND   TRADES. 


Advertiser's  A. B.C. 

Advertising,  practical. 

American    Textile    and    Dry    Goods 

Trade. 
Architect's  Compendium. 
Atlantic  Cable  Code  Directory. 
Banking  Almanac. 
Business  Diary,  and  Trade  Directory 

(Jowett's). 
Birmingham  Trades  Directory  (Peck's). 
Buyers  Guide  (Crane's). 
Booksellers,  Publishers,  and  Authors. 
Booksellers  (Clegg's). 
Building  Trades. 
Chemical  Diary  (Wood's). 
Clothing  District. 
Cotton  Spinners  and   Manufacturers 

(Worrall's). 
Cabinet,  Furniture,  and   Upholstery 

Trades. 
Chemists  and  Druggists. 
Co-operative  Wholesale  Societies 

Annual. 
Denmark  Handels— Kalender. 
Directory  of  Directors. 
Dock  and  Port  Charges. 
Electrical  Trades. 
Electrical  Directory  (Berly's). 
Electrical   Undertakings,  Manual   of 

Engineer's  Diary. 
Engineers,  Iron  and  Metal  Trades. 
English  Directory  (Macdonald's). 
Export  Merchant  Shippers. 
Financial  Reform  Almanack. 
France,  Annuaire,  de   la  Marine  de 

Commerce. 
Gas   and    Electric    Lighting  Works 

Directory. 
German  Textile  Directory. 
Grocery,  Oil  &-Colour,Confectionery, 

Tobacco  and  Provision  Trades. 
Insurance  Blue  Book  and  Guide. 
Insurance  Directory. 
Keramischen  Industrie  Adressbuch. 
Labour  Annual. 
Laxton's  Builders'  Price  Book. 
London  and  County  Trades  Directory. 
London  Business  (Morris's).     • 
Manchester  Royal  Exchange  Directory. 


Manufacturers  and  Merchants 
(Perry's). 

MercantileDirectory(Collingwood's). 

Mercantile  Directory  (Wilson's). 

Merchants   and    Manufacturers 
(Lamb's). 

Merchants,  Manufacturers,  and  Ship- 
pers of  Lancashire. 

Merchants,  Manufacturers,  and  Ship- 
pers (Kelly's). 

Merchants,  Manufacturers,  and  Ship- 
pers (Stubbs'). 

Mining  Manual. 

Mining  Register. 

Nautical  Almanac. 

Newspaper  Press  Directory. 

Post  INIagazine  Almanac. 

Railway  and  Commercial  Gazetteer. 

Railway  Goods  Traffic  and  Carrying 
Charges. 

Railway  Stations  Handbook. 

Scottish  Directory  (Macdonald's). 

Shareholders  Guide. 

Shipping  Register. 

Shipping  World  Year  Book. 

Shorthand   and    Typewriting   Year 
Book. 

Stationers,  Printers,  Publishers,  Book- 
sellers, and  Paper  Makers. 

Stock  Exchange  Year  Book. 

Stock  Exchange  Official  Intelligence. 

Stock  and  Shareholders  Directory. 

Telegraphic  Addresses  (Sell's). 

Telegraphic  Code  (Slater's). 

Telegraphic  Code  (ABC). 

Telegram  Code  (Ager's). 

Textile  Directory,  Yorkshire. 

Textile  Diary  (Woods). 

Textile  Directory,  Europe. 

Textile  Directory,  Ireland,  Scotland, 
and  Wales. 

Textile  Fabrics,  Manufacturers. 

Watch  and  Clock  Trades. 

Wine  and  Spirit  Trades,  Brewers,  and 
Maltsters. 

World's  Press  (Sell's). 

Wright's   Australian,    Indian,    &c., 
Trades  Directory. 


DIRECTORIES. 


241 


TITLED,     OFFICIAL, 


AND     PROFESSIONAL 
HANDBOOKS. 


CLASSES     AND 


Institute  of  Chartered  Accountants, 
Bye-Ln.ws,  &c. 

Jamaica  IlainHjook. 
fewish  Year  Book. 

"Kelly's  Titled,  Landed,   and  Official 
Classes. 

Lancashire  Congregational  Calendar. 

Law  List. 

Local  (jovernment  Directory. 

London  Manual. 

Manchester  Diocesan  Directory. 

Manchester  Official  Handbook. 

Medical  Directory. 

Medical  Register. 

Municipal  Year  Book. 

Musical  Directory. 

Naval  Annual. 

Naval  and  Military  Directory. 

Navy  List. 

Natal  Civil  Service  List. 

Parliamentary  Companion. 

Public  Schools  Year  Book. 

School  Calendar. 

Scientific  and  Learned  Societies  Year 
Book. 

Society  of  Accountants  Bye- Laws,  &c. 

Statesman's  Year  Book. 

Thom's  Official  Directory 

Wesleyan  Minutes  of  Conference. 

Whitaker's  Almanac. 

World  Almanac. 

Year's  Music. 

Year's  Art. 

Any  directory  likely  to  be  of  value  to  the  commercial 
community  is  added  when  it  appears,  and  new  editions  of 
those  already  taken  are  obtained  as  soon  as  issued.  Back 
volumes  of  many  of  them  are  also  preserved,  the  most 
important  sets  being  that  of  Manchester,  dating  from 
the  first  directory  issued  by  Mrs.  Raffald,  in  1771,  and 
coming  down  to  the  present  time,  and  those  of  London, 
Liverpool,  and  Dublin. 

3.  Newspaper  Files. — Files  of  the  following  Man- 
chester newspapers  for  the  dates  affixed,  but  many  of  the 
earlier  volumes  are  incomplete  : — 


Army  List,  Official. 

Army  List  (Hart's.) 

Almanach  de  Gotha. 

Baptist  Handbook. 

British  Almanac. 

British  Imperial  Calendar  and  Civil 
Service  List. 

Cape  of  Good  Hope  Civil  Service 
List. 

Catholic  Directory. 

Charities  of  London  (Low's). 

Charities  of  London  (Lane's). 

Charities  Annual  Register  and  Digest. 

Church  of  England  Year  Book. 

Clergy  List. 

Clerical  Directory. 

Colonial  Office  List. 

Constitutional  Year  Book. 

Congregational  Year  Book. 

County  Councils,  Municipal  Corpora- 
tions, and  Local  Authorities 
Companion. 

Debrett's  House  of  Commons  and 
Judicial  Bench. 

Debrett's  Peerage,  &c. 

Englishwoman's  Year  Book. 

Era  Annual. 

Essex  Hall  Year  Book. 

Foreign  Office  List. 

Hazell's  Annual. 

Hospitals  and  Charities  (Burdett's). 

India  List. 


Manchester  Magazine,  1737-60. 
Lancashire  Journal,  1738-40 


Anderton' 
1762. 


Manchester    Chronicle, 


242  NEWSPAPER  FILES. 

NEWSPAPER  YW.Y.'i.  —  Continuul. 

Harrop's  Mercury,  1754-1821.  WeeklyGuardian  and  Express,  1860-3. 

Prescott's  Manchester  Journal,  1738-40.  Weekly    Times    and    Supplement, 
Wheeler's  Chronicle,  1791-3.  1808-13,  1862-99. 

1817-23,  1826,  1833-42.  City  News,  1864-99. 

Herald,  1792-3.  Daily  Journal,  1867. 

Cowdroy'i--  Gazette,  1796-1827.  Gazette  and  Advertiser,  1873-4. 

Exchange  Herald,  1809-26.  Evening  News,  1873-99. 

British  Volunteer,  1814-15,  1819.  Evening  Mail,  1874-99. 

Courier,  1817-19.  Weekly  Post,  1875-87. 

Observer,  1818-21.  Courier  Supplement,  1882-99. 

Guardian,  1821-99.  North  Times.  1882. 

Courier,  1825-99.  Morning  Star,  1882. 

Times,  182S-31,   1833-7.  Latest  News,  18S2. 

Advertiser,  1833-41,  1843-4,  1854-60.  Umpire,  1884-99. 

Chronicle,  1839-41.  Sunday  Chronicle,  1885-99. 

Examiner    and    Times,    1847-52,  Evening  Chronicle,  1897-9. 

1857-94.  Herald,  1899. 
Alliance  News,  1854-99. 

There  is  also  a   file  of  the    Times  from  the  beginning  of 

the  century,  and  a  nearly  complete  set   of  the  London 

Gazette  from  1665. 

4.  Parliamentary  Papers. — The  Parliamentary 
Papers,  as  issued  by  the  Government  from  time  to  time 
during  the  Session,  are  purchased.  A  collection  of  these, 
extending  to  some  2,500  volumes,  and  dating  from  the 
beginning  of  the  century,  is  also  on  the  shelves,  but  for 
dates  previous  to  the  year  1883  it  is  very  incomplete. 

5.  Reviews,  Magazines,  and  Newspapers.— Of 
these  a  large  number  are  taken,  and  the  following  is 
the  present  list.  D,  signifies  daily ;  W,  weekly ;  F, 
fortnightly  ;  M,  monthly ;  Q,  quarterly.  The  bound 
volumes  of  these  periodicals,  of  which  complete  sets,  in 
most  cases,  are  in  the  library,  may  be  consulted  in  this 
room.  The  publications  of  many  Societies  are  also  added 
to  the  library  as  they  are  issued. 

Abolitionist  (M.)  American  Journal  of  Science  (M.) 

Academy  (W.)  Analyst  (M.) 

Alliance  News  (W.)  Anglia  (Q.) 

Alpine  Journal  (O.)  Beiblatt  (M.) 

American  Architect  (W.)  Anglo-Saxon  (Q. ) 

American  Historical  Review  (Q,)  Annals  of  Botany  (Q.) 


REVIEWS,  MAGAZINES,  NEIVSPAPERS. 


243 


REVIEWS,    MAGAZINES,    AND   NEWSPAPERS.— C<?«//««^</. 


Anthropologic,  L'  (M.) 

Anticiuarisk  tidskrift  for  Sverige  (Q. ) 

Antiquary  (M.) 

Archrelogical  Journal  ((^>. ) 

Architect  (W.) 

Architecture  (M.) 

Army  and  Navy  Gazette  (W.) 

Artist  (M.) 

Art  Journal  (M.) 

Arte   Italiana  Decorativa   e 

Industriale  (M.) 
Asiatic  Quarterly  Review  (Q.) 
Athenaeum  (W.) 
Atlantic  Monthly  (M.) 
Author  (M.) 

Badminton  Magazine  (M.) 
Beitrage  zur  Assyriologie  (Q.) 
Berichte  der  Osterreichischen  Gesell- 

schaft  zur  forderung  der  Chemis- 

chen  Industrie  (M  ) 
Berks,    Bucks,    and     Oxon    Archa;- 

logical  Journal  (Q. ) 
Berliner  Architekturwelt. 
Bibliotheca  Sacra  (Q.) 
Bimetallist  (M.) 
Black  and  White  (W. ) 
Blackwood's  Magazine  (M.) 
Board  of  Trade  Journal  (M.) 
Bookman  (M.) 
Book-Prices  Current  (Q.) 
Bookseller  (M.) 
Boston    Public   Library   Monthly 

Bulletin  (M.) 
Botanical  Magazine  (M.) 
British  Architect  (W.) 
British  Journal  of  Photography  (W. ) 
British  Medical  Journal  (W. ) 
Brotherhood  (M!) 
Bugle  Call  (M.) 
Builder  (W.  1 
Building  News  (W.) 
Bulletin  de  1'  Institut  International  de 

Statistique  (Q.) 
Bulletin  de  la  Societe  (ieologique  de 

France  (M.) 
Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Industrielle  de 

Mulhouse  (M.) 
Bulletin  de  la  Societe  Industrielle  de 

Rouen  (M.) 
Bulletin   de   Statistique  et  de  Legis- 
lation comparee  (M.) 
Bulletin  of  the  American  Geographical 

Society  (Q.) 
Cabinet  Maker  (M.) 
Canadian  Patent  Record  (M.) 
Cardiff  Public  Library  Journal  (Q.) 
Cassier's  Magazine  (M.) 


Centralblatt  fiir  Bibliothekswesen(M.) 
Century  Magazine  (M.) 
Chaml)ers'  journal  (M.) 
Chemical  News  (W.  ) 
Chemical  Trade  Journal  (W. ) 
Chemicker  Zeitung  (M.) 
Cheshire  Notes  and  Queries  (Q.) 
Church  Missionary  Intelligencer  (M.) 
Church  Quarterly  Review  (Q.) 
Churchman  (M.) 
Classical  Review  (M.) 
Colliery  Guardian  (W.) 
Commerce  (W. ) 
Contemporary  Review  (M.) 
Contract  Journal  (W. ) 
Cook's  Excursionist  (M.) 

Ocean  Sailing  List  (Q.) 

Co-operative  News  (W. ) 
Cornhill  Magazine  (M.) 
Cosmopolitan  (M.) 
Cotton  (W.) 

Cotton  Factory  Times  (W.) 
Dania.    Tidskrift  for  Dansk  sprog  og 
Litteratur  samt  Folkeminder  (Q.) 
Deutsche  kunst  und  dekoration  (M.) 
Deutsche  Rundschau  (^I.) 
Dingler's  Polytechnisches  Journal  (W.) 
Dublin  Review  (Q. ) 
Dyers'  Trade  Journal  (M.) 
East  Anglian  (M.) 
East  Lancashire  Review  (M. ) 
Economic  Journal  (Q.) 
Economist  (W. ) 
Edinburgh  Review  (Q.) 
Educational  Review  (M.) 
Educational  Times  (M.) 
Electrican  (W. ) 
Engineer  (W. ) 
Engineering  (W. ) 
Engineering  Magazine  (M.) 
English  Catalogue  of  Books  (M. ) 
English  Historical  Review  (Q.) 
English  Illustrated  Magazine  (M.) 
Englische  Studien  (Q. ) 
English  Mechanic  (W.) 
Entomologist  (M.) 

Entomologist's  Monthly  Magazine  (M.) 
Era  (W.) 

Espana  Moderna  (M.) 
Estates  Gazette  (W.) 
Evening  Student  (M.) 
Expositor  (M.) 
Field  (W. ) 

Financial  Reformer  (M.) 
Financial  Times  (D.) 
Folk- Lore  (().) 
Fortnightly  Review  (M.) 


244 


REVIEWS,  MAGAZINES,  NEWSPAPERS. 


REVIEWS.  MAGAZINES, 
Forum  (M.) 

Free  Sunday  Advocate  (M.) 
Gardeners'  Chronicle  (W.) 
Gardening  (W.) 
Gas  World  (W.) 
Genealogical  Magazine  (M.) 
Genealogist  (Q.) 
Gentleman's  Magazine  (M.) 
Geographical  Journal  (M.) 
Geography  (M.) 
Geological  Magazine  (M.) 
Giornale  Dantesco  (M.) 


AND   NEWSPAPERS.— Co«//k?<^^. 

Journal  of  the  British  Archreological 
Association  (Q.) 

Journal  of  the  Chemical  Society 
(M.) 

Journal  of  the  Ex-libris  Society  (M.) 

Journal  of  the  Institute  of  Bankers 
(M.) 

Journal  of  the  Institution  of  Electrical 
Engineers  (M.) 

Journal  of  the  Linnean  Society. 

Journal  of  the  Manchester  Geo- 
graphical Society  (Semi-annual). 


Gloucestershire  Notes  and  Queries  (Q.)  Journal   of    the    Royal   Agricultural 

Good  Words  (M.)  Society  (Q.) 

Graphic  (VV.)  Journal  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society 

Grocers'  Review  (W.)  (M.)  . 

Guardian  (W.)  Journal  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Insti- 

Harper's  Monthly  (M.)  tute  (M.) 

Harvest  (M.)  Journal  of  the  Royal   Microscopical 

Homoepathic  Review  (M.)  Society  (Bi-M.) 

Hong  Kong  Government  Gazette  (W.)  Journal  of  the  Society  of  Arts  (W_.) 


Horological  Journal  (M.) 

Humanity  (M.) 

Ibis(Q.) 

Idler  (M.) 

Illustrated  London  News  (W.) 

Imperial  Institute  Journal  (M.) 

Index  Library  (Q.) 

Industrie  Textile  (M.) 

Industries  and  Iron  (W.) 

Inquirer  (VV.) 


Institul  International  de  Bibliographic.   Law  Times  (W.) 


Journal   of  the  Society  of  Chemical 

Industry  (M.) 
Kew  Gardens  Bulletin  (M.) 
Knowledge  (M.) 
Labour  Gazette  (M.) 
Labour  Co-Partnerships. 
Lancashire  County  Council  Proceed- 

.ines. 
Lancet  (W.) 
Law  Quarterly  Review  (Q.) 


Bulletin  (Q.) 
Intermediaire  L'  (F.) 
International  Journal  of  Ethics  (Q.) 
International  Sugar  Journal. 
Internationales    Archiv    fiir    Ethno- 

graphie  (M.) 
Investor's  Monthly  Manual  (M.) 
Investors'  Review  (W.) 
Iron  and  Coal  Trades  Review  (W. ) 
Iron  and  Steel  Trades  Journal  (W.) 
Jewish  Quarterly  Review  ((^  ) 
Journal  des  Economistes  (M.) 
Journal  of  Americn  Folk-lore  (Q.) 
Journal  of  Botany  (M.) 
Journal  of  Education  (M.) 
Journal  or  Gas  Lighting  (W.) 
Journal  of  Indian  Art  (Q.) 
Journal  of  Philology  (Q.) 
Journal  of  Physiology  (Q.) 
Journal  of  Political  Economy  (Q. ) 
Journal  of  State  Medicine  (S\.) 
Journal  of  the  Anthropological  Insti- 
tute (Q.) 
Journal  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture 
(Q.) 


Liberator  (M.) 
Liberty  Review  (^L) 
Library  (M.) 
Library  Assistant  (M.) 
Library  Journal  (M.) 
Libraiy  World  (M.) 
Lincolnshire  Notes  and  (Queries  (Q.). 
literary  Guide  (M.) 
Literary  News  (M.) 
Literary  World  (W.) 
Literature  (W.) 
Liverpool  Mercury  (D.) 
Liverpool  Shipping  Telegraph  (D.) 
Local  Government  Journal  (W.) 
Local  Government  Chronicle  (W.) 
London  Gazette  (Semi-W.) 
London  Quarterly  Review  (Q.) 
Longman's  Magazine  (M.) 
Machinery  (M.) 
Machinery  Market  (M.) 
Macmillan's  Magazine  (M.) 
Magazine  of  Art  (M.) 
Magazine  of  Natural  History  (M.) 
Manchester  Chamber  of    Commerce 
Monthly  Record  (M.) 


REVIEWS,  MAGAZINES,  NEWSPAPERS. 


245 


REVIEWS,   MAGAZINES,    AND    liY,\N'iVA?V.R?>.— Continued. 


IManchester  City  Council  Proceedings 
(M.) 

Manchester  City  Council  Proceedings, 
Epitome  (M.) 

Manchester  City  News  (W.) 

Manchester  Courier  (D.) 

Manchester  Entertainments  Pro- 
gramme (W.) 

Manchester  Evening  Chronicle  (D.) 

Manchester  Evening  Mail  (D.) 

Manchester  Evening  News  (D.) 

Manchester  Faces  and  Places  (M.) 

Manchester  Guardian  (D.) 

Manchester  Herald  (W. ) 

Manchester  Journal  of  Commerce(D.) 

Manchester  Local  Postal  Guide  (M.) 

Manchester  Quarterly  (Q.) 

Manchester  Royal  Infirmary  Students' 
Gazette  (M.) 

Manchester  Weekly  Health  Returns 
(W.) 

Manchester  Weekly  Times  ( W. ) 

Mariner  (M.) 

Mechanical  Engineer  (W.) 

Mechanical  World  (W.) 

Medical  Chronicle  (M.) 

Memoirs  and  Proceedings  of  the  Man- 
chester Literary  and  Philosphical 
Society  (Q.) 

Meteorological  Magazine  (M.) 

Mind  (Q.) 

Mineralogical   Magazine  (Q.) 

Mining  and  Engineering  (M.) 

Mining  Journal  (W.) 

Minutes  of  Proceedings  of  the  Institu- 
tion of  Civil  Engineers  (Q.) 

Miscellanea  Genealogica  et  Heraldica 

(Q.) 

Modern  Quarterly  of  Language  and 
Literature  (Q. ) 

Monde  Moderne  (M.) 

Money  Market  Review  (W.) 

Monthly  Notices  of  the  Royal  Astron- 
omical Society  (M.) 

Municipal  Journal  and  London  (W. ) 

Musical  Herald  (M.) 

Musical  Times  (M.) 

Nation  [New  York]  (W.) 

Nationalokonomisk  Tidsskrift  (Q.) 

National  Review  (M.) 

Natural  Science  (M.) 

Naturalist  (M.) 

Nature  (W.) 

Nature  Notes  (M.) 

Navy  List  ((^).) 

New  Book  List  (and  Cumulative 
Index)  (M.) 


New  Church  Magazine  (M.) 

New      England      Genealogical     and 

Historical  Register  ((^.) 
New  Ireland  Review  (M.) 
New  World  (Q. ) 
New    York    Public  Library  Bulletin 

(M.) 
Nineteenth  Century  (M.) 
North  American  Review  (M.) 
Northern  Churchman  (M.) 
Northern  Finance  and  Trade  (W. ) 
Northern  Genealogist  (Q.) 
Notes  and  Queries  (W. ) 
Numismatic  Chronicle  (Q. ) 
Nuova  Antologia  (F. ) 
Oddfellows'  Magazine  (M.) 
Oxford  Shorthand  Chronicle  (M.) 
Orient  (M.) 

Owens  College  Union  Magazine  (M.) 
Pall  Mall  Magazine  (M). 
Paper  Maker  (M.) 
Patents  :    Illustrated  Official  Journal 

(W.) 
Patents  :    Law  Reports  (W.) 
Patents:  United  States  Official  Gazette 

(W.) 
Petermann's  Mitteilungen  (M.) 
Pharmaceutical  Journal  (W.) 
Philosophical  Magazine  (M.) 
Phonetic  Journal  (W.) 
Photographic  Record  (Q.) 
Phrenological  Magazine  (M.) 
Polybiblion,    Revue   Bibliographique 

Universelle  (M.) 
Portfolio  (Q.) 
Positivist  Review  (M.) 
Post  Office  Guide  (Q.) 
Proceedings     of      the     Institute     of 

Mechanical  Engineers  ((^. ) 
Proceedings     of    the     Malacological 

Society  (Q.) 
Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Society  (M. ) 
Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Biblical 

Archaeology  (M.) 
Public  Health  (M.) 
Public  Libraries  (M.) 
Publishers'  Circular  (W.) 
Punch  (W.) 

Quarterly  Journal  of  Economics  (Q.) 
(Quarterly   Journal  of    Microscopical 

Science  (Q. ) 
Quarterly  Journal  of  the   Geological 

Society  (Q.)  _ 

Quarterly       Publications       of       the 

American  Statistical  Association, 

(Q.) 
(Quarterly  Review  ((^.) 


246 


REVIEWS,  MAGAZINES,  NEWSPAPERS. 


REVIEWS,  MAGAZINES,  AND   NEWSPAPERS.— C^;//w»^^/. 


Quarterly  Report  of  Births ,  Marriages, 

and  Deaths  (Q.) 
Queensland  Government  Gazette  (M. ) 
Railway  Guides : 

Bradshaw's  [id.  and  6d.]  (M.) 

Cheetham's  (M.) 

Continental  Bradshaw  (M.) 

Haywood's  (M.) 

Simni's  (M.) 
Railway  News  (W.) 
Record  of  Technical  and  Secondary 

Education  (Q.) 
Reformer  (M.) 
Reliquary  and  Illustrated  Archaeologist 

(Q.) 

Review  of  Reviews  (M.) 

Revue  Celtique  (Q.) 

Revue  des  Deux  Mondes  (F.) 

Rivista  d'ltalia  (M.) 

Ross's  Parliamentary  Record  (W. ) 

St.  Louis  Public   Library  Magazine 

(M.) 
Salem  Public  Library  Bulletin  (M.) 
Salford  Chronicle  (W.) 
Salford  Council  Proceedings  (M.) 
Salford  Reporter  (W.) 
Sanitary  Inspector  (M. ) 
Sanitary  Record  (W.) 
Saturday  Review  (W. ) 
School  Board  Chronicle  (W. ) 
School  Board  Gazette  (M.) 
Science  Gossip  (M.) 
Science  of  Man  (M.) 
Science  Work  (M.) 
Scientific  American  (W.) 
Scottish  Antiquary  (Q.) 
Scottish  Review  (Q. ) 
Scribner's  Magazine  (M.) 
Script  Phonographic  Journal  (M.) 
Shorthand  Magazine  (M.) 


Sketch  (W.) 

South  Australian  Government  Gazette 

(W.) 
Speaker  (W.) 
Spectator  (W.) 
Statist  (W.) 

Stonyhurst  Magazine  (M.) 
Strand  Magazine  (M.) 
Student's  Journal  [Graham's  Standard 

Phonography]  (M.) 
Studio  (M.) 

Sunday  Chronicle  (W.) 
Tablet  (W.) 

Textile  Manufacturer  (M.) 
Textile  Mercury  (W.) 
Textile  Recorder  (M.) 
Textile  Review  of  America  (M.) 
Times  (D.) 

Trade  Journals'  Review  (M.) 
Trade  Marks  Journal  (W.) 
Transactions  "  of     the     Manchester 

Geological  Society  (M.) 
Truth  (W.) 

Ueber  Land  und  Meer  (  F.) 
Ulster  Journal  of  Archseology  (Q. ) 
Ulula  ("M.) 
Umpire  (W.) 

University  Correspondent  (W.) 
Vaccination  Inquirer  (M.) 
Vegetarian  Messenger  (M.) 
Weekly  Return  of  Births  and  Deaths 

in  London,  &c.  (W.) 
West  Ham  Library  Notes  (M.) 
Western     Australia     Government 

Gazette  (F.) 
Westminster  Review  (M.) 
What's  On  (W.) 
Windsor  Magazine  (M.) 
V.M.C.A.  Bee-Hive  (M.) 
Zoologist  (XJ.) 


The  Reference  Library  contains  a  few  manuscripts, 
some  interesting  specimens  of  early  printing,  and  a  number 
of  rare  books,  but  the  strength  of  the  collection  lies  in 
the  modern  and  standard  works,  which  include  many 
important  and  costly  illustrated  books  on  architecture, 
botany,  decoration  and  design,  painting  and  sculpture,  and 
the  fine  arts  generally  ;  as  well  as  the  best  books  in  history, 
archaeology,  topography,  science,  mechanical  arts,  politics, 
theology,  poetry,  and  other  departments  of  literature. 


MANUSCRIPTS.  247 

MANUSCRIPTS. 
Some  of  the  manuscripts  possess  considerable  interest. 
A  list  of  them  together  with  a  description  of  the  more 
remarkable  follows.  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Ernest  Axon 
for  the  account  of  the  Owen  and  Hibbert-Ware 
manuscripts. 

THE  OWEN  MSS. 
The  Owen  collection  of  manuscripts  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  collections  of  material  for  local  history 
ever  got  together  by  one  man.  Mr.  John  Owen  has  for 
something  like  sixty  years  devoted  his  time  to  transcribing 
parish  registers  and  copying  monumental  inscriptions, 
and  the  eighty  folio  volumes  of  the  Owen  MSS.  represent 
the  life  work  of  that  veteran  antiquary,  whose  hobby  has 
earned  him  the  not  inappropriate  name  of  "  Old  Mortality." 
Perhaps  the  most  important  of  the  volumes  are  those 
relating  to  rhe  Collegiate  Church  or  Cathedral  of  Man- 
chester. These  include  a  verbatim  transcript  of  the  first 
two  hundred  years  of  the  voluminous  parish  register, 
which  together  with  an  alphabetical  index,  occupies  some 
twenty  volumes.  A  valuable  supplement  to  the  register 
is  a  copy  of  the  sexton's  book  which  gives  the  age  and 
cause  of  death  of  the  persons  buried  at  the  Collegiate 
Church  during  part  of  the  last  century.  Another  Collegiate 
Church  item  is  a  transcript  of  every  inscription  on  the 
walls  of  the  church,  in  the  vaults  under  the  church,  and  in 
the  churchyard.  This  collection  of  inscriptions  is  and 
must  remain  unique  for  many  of  the  inscriptions  have 
become  worn  or  have  been  covered  over  since  Mr.  Owen's 
transcript  was  made.  Many  of  the  gravestones  are  drawn 
in  facsimile  and  a  large  number  are  annotated  with 
extracts  from  the  registers.  Mr.  Owen's  interests  have 
not  been  confined  to  genealogical  matters  for  he  gives  a 


248  MANUSCRIPTS. 

diary  of  discoveries  made  during  the  restoration  of  the 
Cathedral,  which  he  illustrates  with  numerous  sketches  of 
architectural  details.  The  collection  also  includes  abstracts 
of  6i8  leases  from  the  Warden  and  Fellows  which  throw 
considerable  light  on  local  history.  In  addition  to  the 
Cathedral  inscriptions  the  collection  contains  copies  of 
each  gravestone  inscription  in  almost  every  other  Man- 
chester and  Salford  church  and  chapel  yard,  including 
those  in  several  burial  grounds  which  have  been  built 
upon  or  covered  over  and  turned  into  "  open  spaces." 
Besides  Manchester  inscriptions  the  collection  includes 
the  whole  of  those  in  the  various  burial  grounds  of 
Stockport,  most  of  those  of  Ashton-under-Lyne,  those  in 
the  parish  churchyards  of  Bolton,  Bowdon,  Middleton, 
Didsbury,  Prestwich,  Northenden,  Flixton,  Rostherne  and 
indeed  of  a  large  proportion  of  the  graveyards  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Manchester.  In  some  of  these  church- 
yards the  inscriptions  are  very  numerous,  Mr.  Owen 
having  transcribed  over  2,000  from  St.  John's,  Manchester, 
and  over  3,000  from  the  Bolton  Parish  Church.  Then 
there  are  verbatim  transcripts  of  long  series  of  years  of 
the  parish  registers  of  Flixton,  Warrington,  Bolton,  and 
Newton  Heath,  and  voluminous  extracts  from  many  other 
local  registers.  Amongst  the  miscellaneous  items  are 
transcripts  of  eighteenth  century  overseers'  accounts  for 
Hulme,  Chorlton,  and  Manchester,  notes  on  the  history  of 
Stretford  and  Stockport,  careful  descriptions  and  beautiful 
drawings  of  local  churches  and  old  houses,  notes  on  clock 
makers  and  surgeons,  gravestone  inscriptions  from  distant 
places  relating  to  Manchester  people,  and  extensive  notes 
on  the  more  important  Manchester  families  of  the  sixteenth 
to  eighteenth  centuries.  All  the  volumes  mentioned  so 
far  are  in  Mr.  Owen's  particularly  neat  handwriting,  and 
their  contents  are  rendered  easily  accessible  by  means  of 


MANUSCRIPTS.  249 

alphabetical  indexes.  Besides  the  Owen  MSS.  proper  the 
collection  contains  a  volume  of  local  antiquarian  cuttings, 
and  also  a  late  seventeenth  century  original  manuscript 
giving  the  receipts  and  expenditure  of  Richard  Syddal  as 
administrator  of  John  Browne  of  Bramhall.  This 
document  contains  details  of  expenditure  which  should 
make  it  of  considerable  value  to  the  student  of  prices. 
Although  Mr.  Owen  has  in  the  past  placed  local  antiquaries 
under  obligations  by  the  courtesy  with  which  he  placed 
his  collections  at  their  disposal,  it  is  satisfactory  to  know 
that  they  are  now  in  public  custody  and  are  accesible  to 
all. 

THE  HIBBEKT-WARE  MSS. 
Through  the  generosity  of  Mrs.  Hibbert-Ware,  of 
Bowdon,  the  library  is  enriched  by  the  donation  of  the 
manuscript  antiquarian  collections  of  the  late  Dr.  Samuel 
Hibbert-Ware.  Dr.  Hibbert-Ware  was  a  member  of  the 
old  Manchester  mercantile  family  of  Hibbert,  was  born  in 
Manchester  in  1782,  and  after  serving  as  an  officer  in  the 
militia  settled  in  Edinburgh,  where  he  resided  for  many 
of  the  best  years  of  his  life.  He  took  the  degree  of  M.D. 
in  1 8 17,  and  was  an  active  Fellow  of  the  Society  of 
Antiquaries  of  Scotland  and  of  the  Royal  Society  of 
Edinburgh.  Though  he  was  a  man  of  scientific  tastes 
and  abilities,  Dr.  Hibbert-Ware  is  now  perhaps  best 
remembered  by  his  antiquarian  work,  in  particular  his 
"  History  of  the  Foundations  in  Manchester  "  deservedly 
taking  a  high  rank  as  a  local  history.  After  leaving 
Edinburgh  he  resided  for  a  time  in  York,  but  eventually 
returned  to  the  neighbourhood  of  his  native  place,  and 
settled  on  a  small  estate  at  Hale  Barns,  near  Altrincham, 
and  died  in  1848.  He  had  adopted  his  mother's  name  of 
Ware  to  denote  his  descent  from  Ware  the  historian  of 
Ireland,  and  it  is  perhaps  this  descent  that  is  accountable 


250  MANUSCRIPTS. 

for  the  large  number  of  Irish  antiquities  figuring  in  his 
manuscripts.  The  manuscripts  consist  of  twelve  quarto 
volumes.  They  contain  memoranda  made  by  Dr.  Hibbert- 
Ware,  all  neatly  mounted  and  classified,  together  with 
numerous  illustrations,  water  colour,  sepia,  and  black  and 
white,  principally  by  the  late  Mr.  T.  Hibbert-Ware,  the 
eldest  son  of  the  Doctor  and  husband  of  Mrs.  Hibbert- 
Ware.  The  first  volume  relates  to  Aboriginal  Remains, 
Cromlechs,  Things,  Moats,  and  Weaponshaws.  Many  of 
the  cromlechs  are  Irish,  and  the  sketches  are  drawn  by 
Captain  Edward  Jones,  an  old  friend  of  Dr.  Hibbert- 
Ware.  As  these  sketches  are  at  least  sixty  years  old, 
and  doubtless  many  changes  have  been  made  since  they 
were  drawn,  they  have  great  value  for  the  student  of 
archaeology.  Other  interesting  features  of  this  volume 
are  the  drawings  of  "  Things,"  of  which  the  best  known 
example  is  the  Tinwald  Hill,  in  the  Isle  of  Man.  Volume 
two  is  devoted  to  weathered  and  detached  rocks,  the  rocking 
stones  of  folk-lore,  to  primitive  weapons,  to  raths  and 
motes,  most  of  them  in  Ireland,  and  to  stone  circles,  of 
the  familiar  Stonehenge  type,  of  which  several  Yorkshire 
examples  are  drawn.  The  third  volume  is  occupied  by 
the  allied  topics  of  memorial,  compact,  and  boundary 
stones,  coronation  stones,  caers  and  duns,  burghs  and 
tumuli.  There  are  several  views  of  the  Devil's  Arrows,  at 
Boroughbridge,  Yorkshire,  drawn  by  Mr.  Hibbert-Ware 
in  1835  and  1838,  and  of  other  Yorkshire  pillars.  Among 
the  tumuli  there  are  also  several  examples  from  Yorkshire. 
In  the  fourth  volume  are  a  portion  of  the  Doctor's 
collections  about  one  of  his  favourite  subjects — vitrified 
forts — and  also  notes  and  drawings  of  Roman  remains, 
amongst  which  is  a  drawing  of  an  altar  stone  from 
Boughton,  Cheshire,  and  drawings  of  several  remains  from 
Aldborough  and  York,  of  altars  found  at  Lancaster,  and 


MANUSCRIPTS.  25  r 

of  some  antiquities  then  in  the  Manchester  Museum.  In 
the  fifth  volume  are  a  number  of  Mr.  T.  Hibbert-Ware's 
beautiful  drawings  of  crosses  and  inscribed  stones  in 
England,  Scotland,  and  the  Isle  of  Man.  This  subject  is 
continued  in  the  sixth  volume,  where  the  crosses  are 
mostly  of  Irish  workmanship.  Saxon  implements  occupy 
a  part  of  this  volume.  Ireland  is  again  drawn  upon  for 
examples  in  the  seventh  volume,  which  contains  many 
sketches  of  Irish  Churches,  but  has  also  a  few  drawings  of 
Yorkshire,  Lincolnshire,  and  Lancashire  churches.  Of 
the  latter  the  most  noticeable  is  a  careful  drawing  of 
Denton  Chapel.  An  interesting  series  of  views  of  round 
towers,  chiefly  in  Ireland,  is  in  the  eighth  volume,  which 
has  also  sketches  of  fonts  at  Mottram,  Eastham,  Prestwich, 
Bury,  Walton-on-the-Hill,  and  at  many  Yorkshire  places. 
An  interesting  drawing  in  this  volume  is  a  view  by  Mr. 
Hibbert-Ware,  of  Smithy  Door,  Manchester,  on  the  nth 
February,  1838,  when  this  celebrated  Manchester  locality 
was  apparently  being  pulled  down.  The  ninth  volume  is 
of  a  very  miscellaneous  character,  monumental  effigies, 
churches,  and  prehistoric  archaeology  being  each  touched 
upon,  and  there  are  further  notes  on  vitrified  forts, 
together  with  a  paper  by  Dr.  Hibbert-Ware  on  that 
subject.  The  tenth  volume  is  devoted  to  Scandinavian 
antiquities  and  to  the  History  of  Scotland.  Architectural 
remains,  chiefly  Irish,  and  Cheshire  Tithe  Barns  are  the 
subjects  of  the  eleventh  volume.  Dr.  Hibbert-Ware  was 
fond  of  Hale  Barns,  and  especially  of  the  Old  Tithe  Barn, 
and  great  was  his  distress  when  it  was  pulled  down. 
Fortunately,  some  years  before  that  event,  he  had  made 
careful  measurements  of  the  barn,  and  his  wife  and 
Captain  Jones  had  made  drawings  of  both  interior  and 
exterior,  and  as  the  drawings  are  preserved  with  these 
manuscripts,  we  can  get  an  idea  of  the  size  and  importance 


252  MANUSCRIPTS. 

of  the  building.  The  twelfth  volume  is  largely  occupied 
by  Irish  antiquities.  The  value  of  the  Hibbert-Ware 
MSS.  is  mainly  in  the  pictures,  which  are  drawn  with  no 
little  skill  and  artistic  ability. 

The  other  manuscripts  are — 

Account  Book,  Theatres  Royal,  Manchester  and  Liverpool.      1842.     Fol. 
Anti-Corn  Law  League  Letter  Book,  Dec,  1838,  to  Nov.,  1840.     Fol. 
Bailey,  John  Eglington.     Index  to  Authors  of  University  Poems.     Fol. 
Banksian  Society  (Manchester).     Minute  Book,  1829-1836.     4to. 
Brotherton,  Joseph.     Commonplace  Book.     1809.     4to. 
Bulkeley,  E.  W.     Annals  of  Cheshire,  A.D.  43-1885.     In  7  boxes. 
Burgersdicius,  Franciskus.     In  Isagoge  Porphyrii  et  Aristotelis  Universum 

Organum  Commentarii.      1 61 7.      .Sm.  fol. 
Burton,  Alfred,  of  Cheacile  Huluie.     Collections  relating  to  Lancashire  and 

Cheshire  Antiquities  and  Genealogy.     Fol.     12  vols. 
Butcher,    Edmund.      The  Workman  that  needed  not  to  be  ashamed.     A 

Sermon  addressed  to  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Bransby,  and  to  the  congregation  of 

Protestant  Dissenters  assembling  at  the  New  Chapel,  Moreton  Hampstead, 

on  his  undertaking  the  office  of  their  stated  minister,    Sept.    30th,    1804. 

8vo.     18  leaves. 
Carlyle,  Thomas,      [Copy  by  Alex.    Ireland  of  Carlyle's  Note-book,    1822- 

1831.]     8vo. 
Carlyle,  Thomas.     [Copies  of  letteis  from  Carlyle  to  Robert  Mitchell,  1814- 

1822.]     8vo. 

Carlyle,  Thomas.     [Copies  of  letters  from  Carlyle  to  Thomas  Murray,  1818- 

1826.]     8vo. 
Carlyle,   Thomas.      [Note-book   containing   copies  of,   and    extracts  from, 

letters  by  Carlyle.]     i2mo. 
Caryll,  Joseph.      Notes  of  Sermons  preached   by  Joseph   Caryl).      Made  by 

John  Weld,  senior,  living  on  London  Bridge.      1671-72.     8vo. 
Chalderinus,  Repertorium  Juridicum.     Fol. 
Chftham's  Hospital.    A  list  of  feoffees  .  .  copied  from  a  MS.  lent  to  me  [Sir 

Thos.  Baker]  by  Benjamin  Dennison  Naylor.    September,  1855.     Sm.  fol. 

Also  contains  an  Account  of  the  Manchester  Literary  Society. 
Chorlton  Row  Overseers' Accounts.      1722-1795.      Fol. 

Collier,   John,    Tii}i   Bobbin,  and    Collier,   John,   junior.      Three    Pocket- 
books. 
Collier,  John,  Tiui  Bobbin.       Correspondence.      Transcript,    with    Notes, 

by  Jesse  Lee.     4to. 
Commonplace  Book.      Comprising  extracts  from   Books  and  Newspapers. 

c.   1750-60. 
Conringius,    H.       Discursus    de    rebuspublicis  principalioribus    totius    orbis 

excepta  Germania.      Also  Forstner,   C.     Epistola  de  moderno  imperii 

statu.      Transcript.     4to. 
Coo'^Qt,  ].  and  yj.,  of  Middletoti.  Wills  and  Inventories.    1738.   Copies.  4to. 
Dyeing  Recipes.     Sm.  4to. 
Eeuwige  maen-almanach.     1634.     4to. 


MANUSCRIPTS.  253 

Extracts  from  the  Gentletnan's  Magazine  relating  to  Lancashire  and  Cheshire. 

1731-1867.      12  vols. 
Fraser,  James,  1639-1699.      A  short  account  of  the  Life  of  Sir  \_sic\  James 

Fraser,  of  Brae,  written  by  himself.     4to.  pp.  83.      This  was  first  printed 

at  Edinburgh  in  173S.     The  present  is  apparently  an  early  MS.  copy. 
Gasparinus.     Orthographia  Gasparini  Bergamensis,  etc.      1474.     40  leaves. 

Fol.      On  paper. 
Gorton  Church.     Registers,   1600-1809.     Transcribed  by  J.  Leigh.     4to. 
Harland,  John.     Manuscript  collections  for  a  History  of  Shorthand.    8  vols. 

in  case. 
Hazlitt,  William,     f Miscellaneous  sheets  of  MS.,  including  a  portion  of  the 

essay  "  On  the  Fear  of  Death."].     Yi.  22. 
Heap.     A  copy  of  the  Survey  of  the  Township  of  Heap  [in  parish  of  Bury] 

taken  in  February  and  March,  1792.     Fol. 
Higson,John.  Supplements  to  the  "Gorton Historical  Recorder."  Transcribed 

by  J.  Leigh.      410. 
Hortulus  Memorandum   MS.  ex  Monasterio  Dublini.     [Circa,   1630].     4ta 

120  leaves. 
Hunt,  Isaac.     [Hylema :     194  Maxims,    Observations,    Remarks,   on    Life, 

Duty,  AL-inners,  &c.]     1798.     4to.     pp.  loi. 
Hunt,  J.  H.  Leigh.     [Copy  of  a   Review  by  Leigh    Hunt  of  Dr.   Robert 

Fellowes'    "Religion   of  the    Universe"].      Fol.    pp.    11.     Appai-ently 

unpublished. 
Ireland,  W.  H.     Shakspearian  Fabrications.     1S02.   4to.     29  leaves.     After- 

W.  H.  Ireland  had  conjessed  the  forgery  of  the  Shakspeare  Papers,  Geo. 

Chalmers,  author  of  the   ^^  Apology  for  the  Believers  in  the  Shakspeai-e 

Papers"  still  remained  incredtilous  as  to  the  possibility  of  the  fabrication, 

and  these   documents   were   executed  by   h-eland  to  prove  his  ability    in 

counterfeiting  old  manuscripts.      The  vol.   also  coniains  one  of  the  rare 

handbills  distributed  at  the  door  of  Drury  Lane   Theatre  on  the  nigh; 

when  "  Vortigern  "  was  produced. 
Isle  of  Man.     Copie  of  all  Ordinances,  Statutes,  and  Customs  reputed  and 

used  for  lawes  in  the  Land  of  Mann,  confirmed  by  the  Honble.  Sr.  John 

Stanley.      With   the  supposed   true   Cronicle  of  the  Island,  how  and  by 

whom  ruled  from  Mannanan  to  this  present  year  1732.      Fol. 
Jones,    Ernest.      [Diary    1839-47.       Professional    Diary    1860-66.       Legal 

Memorandum  Book.].     5  vols. 
Lancashire  Public  School  Association.    [Minutes  1S48-62.     Letters  1S4S-57. 

Newspaper  Cuttings].     8  vols. 
Lee,  Jesse.     Glossary  of  Lancashire  Words  and  Phrases.     Svo. 
Lee,  Jesse.     Heraldica  Lancastria.     1826.     Svo. 
Lee,  Jesse.     Memoir  of  John    Collier,   Tim   Bobbin.     Read  at  a  meeting 

of  the  Literary  and  Philosopliical  Society  of  Manchester,  15th  October, 

1839.      4to.  Extended  uiith  further  MS.  matter. 
Lee,  Jesse.     Notes  on  John  Collier,  Tim  Bobbin.     Svo.     2  vols. 
Leigh,  J.     Memoranda  relating  to  the  Family  of  Lever.     4to. 
Lucidarius.     [German  transcript,   or  copy  from   an  earlier    MS.],     14S2. 

4to. 
Madden,  Sir  Frederick.     Original  draft  of  paper  on  Perkin  Warlieck,  read 

before  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  on  the  6th,  13th,  and  20th  April,  1S37,. 

and  subsequently  printed  in  "  Archreologia."     Fol. 
Manchester,  All  Saints  Church,  Funeral  Book,  1837-1S4S.     Fol. 


254  MANUSCRIPTS. 

Manchester,    Mosley   St.    Club    Room.     [Minutes    1795-1850.      Strangers' 

Book.     Cash  Book,  1842-50.]     5  vols. 
Manchester     Parliamentary     Representation     Committee,     Minute     Book, 

1827-28.     Fol. 
Manchester  Post  Office  Site.     Leaflets,  Newspaper  Cuttings,  Letters,  and 

other  Documents.     1858-1859.     Fol. 
Manchester,   Presbyterian  Classis,    Minutes   1646- 1700.     Fol.      Transcript. 
Manchester,    St.    Ann's   Church,   Registers,    1736- 1808.        Transcribed   by 

J.  Leigh.     Sm.  4to. 
Manchester,    St.    Mary's  Church,   Registers  1754-1S71.     Transcribed  by  J. 

Leigh.     Fol.  and  410.     2  vols. 
Manchester,  Saturday  Half-Holiday,  Original  Signed  Agreement.      1S43. 
MSS.  in  the  Shorthand  Collection.     91  vols. 
Massie,  William.     A   Sermon   preached  at  Trafford    in    Lancashire  at   the 

marriage  of  a  daughter  of  the  Right  Worshipfull  Sir  Edmond  Trafforde, 

knight,  the  6  of  September,  Anno  1586.      Oxford,  1586.      Transcript. 
Mendelssohn,    F,      Lauda   Sion.       [The    music    and    Latin    words    in    the 

composer's     own    hand  ;    the    English    words    in    the   hand    of    Wm. 

Bartholomew,  who  adapted  them  to'  the  music]    4to. 
Miller,  Thomas.     MS.  of  "  Royston  Gower."     Fol. 
Mission,  M.     An  Account  of  the  Travels  of  Mr.  Walgrave   Crewe,  on  the 

Continent  of  Europe,  in  1694-5,  i"^  ^  Letter  to  his  Mother.    r2mo.   pp.  144. 
Monstiers,  J-  de.     Description  du  pays  Descosse.     Imprime  a  Paris,   1538. 

8vo.      Tra7iscript. 
Mosley  MS.      MS.  Volume  kept  by  several  of  the  Mosley  Family,  chiefly  in 

their  Capacity  as  Magistrates  in  the  i6th  and  17th  Centuries.     Sm.   fol. 

With  transcript. 
JMurray,  Thomas,   and  Others.     [Copies  of  Letters  from  Thomas    Murray, 

Robert  Mitchell,  James  Johnston,  John  Edward  Hill,  and  Francis  Dickson 

to  Thomas  Carlyle,  1813-1826].     8vo. 
Newton  Heath  Rate  Books,  1819-1837,     15  vols. 
Noble,  James.     Article  on  Leigh  Hunt,  Lord  Byron,  and  "The  Liberal." 

1882.    pp.  55. 
Osborn,  W.     A  Plan   of  Mathematical   Learning,    Taught   in    the    Royal 

Academy  at  Portsmouth.     Executed  by  William  Osborn,  a  Student  there. 

1769.      Fol. 
Persian,  MSS.     [Sherah  Akaad.    Gulistan-i-Sadi.    Bostan-i-Sadi.    Kimiyae 

Saadat  (on  ethics)  ].     8vo.     4  vols. 
VooXt,  ]o\\r\,  Far»ter,  of  A ikri7igton  or  Middleton.     Diary,  1774-7S.      Fob 
Pott,    Percivall,   F.R.S.,    Senior   Surgeon  to   St.    Bartholomew's   Hospital. 

Chirurgical  Lectures.      Transcript. 
Savoy,  House  of.     MS.  on  paper,  in  Italian,  containing: — i.  An  Account 

of  the  Origin   and   Progress  of  the  House  of  Savoy.     By  the  Venetian 

Ambassador    to    the    Court    of    Turin.      Written    in     1742.       pp.    158. 

2.    History  of  the  Abdication  of  the  King  of  Sardinia,  Victor   Amadeus. 

By  a  Contemporary.      [Query  N.  N.  Lamberti.      See  CEttinger,  "  Biblio- 
graphic Biographique,"  p.  678].     pp.  36.      Fol.      Transcript. 
Stockport   Parish  Registers,    1584- 1646.     Transcribed  by  E.    W.  Bulkeley. 

Sm.  4to.      3  vols. 
Stout,    William,    of    Lancaster.       Autobiography,     1665-1752.       pp.    150. 

This  was  Edited  by  John  Harla^id,  and  printed  in  iSji. 
Tootell,  R.L     Analyses  of  Coals.      1889.     Fol. 


HAKE  BOOKS.  255 

Turner,  Thomas,  Sitrgeon,  of  Manchester.    Various  Medical  MSS.,  Notes  of 

Lectures,   etc.,  also  Copies  of    Letters,  &c.   written    by  Lieutenant   C. 

\V.  Turner,  in  India,  1809-1819. 
Varey,  John.     Cash  Book,  1780- 1786.     i2mo. 
Waugh,   Edwin.     Unpublished  Pieces,  Verse,  and  Prose,  and   other  MSS. 

Fol. 
Whitaker  James,  of  Manchester.     Account  of  the  Agitation  for  the   Repeal 

of  the  Fustian  Act.     1784-85.     4to. 
White,  fames.     Original  Letters,  ct^c,  of  Sir  John  Falstaffand  his  Friends. 

i2ni'o.     MS.    Transcript,    with  printed  Facsimile   Title,  of  ist  Edit., 

Land. ,  ijgb. 

EARLY  PRINTED  AND  RARE  BOOKS. 

The  titles  of  the  books  in  the  library  printed  before 
1520,  arranged  in  chronological  order,  and  of  a  selection 
of  other  rare  or  curious  works,  arranged  alphabetically, 
are  as  follows  : — 

PRINTED   BEFORE    152O. 
Biblia  Latina.     [Old  Testament.]     Basil.     Richel.     I473- 
Bible  en  Duytsche,     Delf.      1477. 
Carchano,  M.  de  M.     Sermones.     Basils.      1479. 
Valla,  Lau.     De  Lingure  Latince  elegantia.     Venet.      14S0. 
Voragine,  J.  de.      Legenda  sanctorum.      1481. 
Biblia.     "  Fontibus  ex  GrKcis,  &c."     1481. 
Statuta  Provincialia  Dioecesis  Constantiensis.     Spirse.     1482. 
The  Golden  Legend,     ist  edit.     Westminster  :  Wm.  Caxton.     1483. 
Parentinis,  B.  de.     Lilium  siue  elucidarius  difficultatum  circa  officium  misse. 

Colon.     1484. 
Guido  de  Monte  Rocherii.     Manipulus  curatorum.      1484. 
Platina.     Vitse  Pontificum.     Venet.      1485. 
Rolewinck,  W.     Fasciculus  temporum.     Argent.      1488. 
Seneca,  L.  A.     Opera  Omnia.     Venet.     1492. 
Passionael  :  unde  dat  Levend  der  Hylghen.     Lubeck.     1492. 
Augustine,  St.  A.     Liber  epistolarum.     Basil.     1493- 
Schedel,  H.     Nuremberg  Chronicle.     1493.     Fol. 
Caoursin,  G.     Obsidionis  Rhodie  urbis  descriptio.     Ulmre.      1496. 
Cleonidas.      Harmonicum  introductorium.     [Also  in  the  same  volume  works 

by  other  writers.]     Venet.      1497. 
Chronicles  of  England.     Westminster :  Wynkyn  de  Worde.      1497- 
Ovidius.     Epistol^e  Heroides.     Venet.      1497. 
Celsus,  A.  C.     Medicinae  liber  primus.     Venet.     1497. 
Hugo  de  S.  Charo.       Postillie  in  totam  Bibliam.      [Vols.  3  and  4.]      Basil. 

1498. 
Dionysius  Areopagita,     Opera.     Paris.     1498. 
Plautus,  M.A.     Comoedite.     Mediolani.     1500. 
Boethius.     De  Consolatione  Philosophise.      Argent.     1501. 


2S6  RARE  BOOKS. 

Plinius  Cfficilius  Secundus.     Epistolce.     Venet.  1501. 

Guarinus,  Veronensis.     Vocabularius  breviloquus.     Argent.     1501. 

Manliis,  J.  J.  de.     Luminare  maius.     Venet.     1504. 

Aristoteles.     De  Coelo  et  Mundo  [and  other  works.]     Lyptzigk.      1504-7. 

Valerius  Maximus.     Factorum  et  dictorum.     Liptz.      1506. 

Nestor  Dionysius.     Vocabula.     Argent.      1507. 

Mantuanus,  B.     Bucolica.     Argent.  1507. 

Porretanus,  G.     Liber  sex-principiorum.     Liptz.     1507. 

Cicero,  M.  T.     De  Amicitia.     Lyptzigk.     1507. 

Cicero,  M.  T.     Epistolae  ad  familiares.     Liptzigk.     1507. 

Gregorius  Nazianzenus.     Libelli.     Argent.     1508. 

Lactantius,  L.  C.  F.     Opera.     Venet.     1509. 

Andreas,  A.     Scripta.     Venet.      1509. 

Statuta  Ordinis  Cartusiensis  a  Domno  Guigone.     Basil.      15 10. 

Plinius  Secundus.     Historia  Naturalis.     Paris.     151 1. 

Origen.     Opera  Omnia.     Paris.      15 12.     2  vols. 

Despauterius,  J.      Rudimenta  grammatices.     Colonire.      1512. 

Eusebius.     Eusebii  Csesariensis  Episcopi  Chronicon.     Paris.     1512. 

Eusebius.     Ecclesiastica  historia.     Argent.     1514. 

Damianus,  J.     Expeditio  in  Turcas.     Basil:   Froben.     1515. 

Cato.     Praecepta  moralia,  etc.     Argent.      15 16. 

Hutten,  U.  von.     Nemo.     Aug.  Vindel.      1518. 

Irenceus,  F.     Germanias  exegesis.     Hagse.     15 18. 

Bromyard,  J.  de.      Summa  predicantium.     Norimbergae.      151S. 

Erasnr.us,  D.     Farrago  nova  epistolarum.     Basil:  Froben.      1519. 

Augustine,  St.  A.     Psaultier  de  Dauid.     Paris.      15 19. 

RARE   OR   CURIOUS   BOOKS. 

Ainsworth,  W.  Harrison,  The  Boeotian.  1824.  Nos.  1-6,  all  published. 
8vo.       Ainswortli's  own  copy. 

Baines,  Edward.  History  of  the  County  Palatine  of  Lancaster.  Lond. 
1836.  4  vols.  Extended  to  10  vols,  by  MS.,  printed  and  pictorial 
additions,  by  Jesse  Lee. 

Barrow,  Isaac.  Sermons  and  fragments  attributed  to  Isaac  Barrow.  Now 
first  collected  and  edited  from  the  MSS.  in  the  University  and  Trinity 
College  Libraries,  Cambridge,  by  the  Rev.  J.  P.  Lee  [aft.  Bishop  of 
Manchester].  Lond.,  1834.  8vo.  The  AISS.  subsequently  proved 
to  be  foj-geries,  and  the  hook  was  suppressed. 

Beckford,  William.  An  Arabian  tale  [Caliph  Vathek],  from  an  unpublished 
manuscript.  Lond.,  1786.  i2mo.  Originally  written  in  French, 
a7id  published  in  1787.  This  English  versioii  was  made  by  a  person 
whom  Beckford  declared  to  be  unknoivn  to  him,  but  who  is  understood  to 
have  been  the  Rev.  S.  Henley,  rector  of  Rendlesham,  and  was  published 
anonymously  and  sterreptitiously. 

Bible  or  Portions  of  the  Bible  in  the  following  languages  and  dialects  : — 
Akra  or  Ga,  Amharic,  Aneitum,  Anglo-Saxon,  Arabic,  Armenian,  Assam, 
Basque,  Bengali,  Berber,  Bohemian,  Breton,  Bulgarian,  Canarese, 
Catalan,  Ceylon-Portuguese,  Chinese,  Coptic,  Cree,  Danish,  Dutch, 
Erromangan,  Esquimaux,  Ethiopic,  Fate,  Fijian,  Finnish,  Gaelic,  Galla, 


RARE    BOOKS.  257 

German,  Ghegh-Alhanian,  (Jothic,  Greek,  Greenland,  Gujerati,  Gipsy, 
Harroti,  Ilaussa,  Hawaiian,  Hebraeo-Samaritan,  Hebrew,  Hindi,  Hindi- 
Kythi,  Hindustani,  Hungarian,  Ibo,  Irish,  Italian,  Japanese,  Javanese, 
Judreo-Arabic,  Kafir,  Kankuna,  Karelian,  Khassee,  Latin,  Lettish,  Lifu, 
Lithuanian,  Loochooan,  Magyar,  Mahratta,  Malagasy,  Malayalim, 
Malay,  Malliseet,  Maltese,  Manchu,  Manx,  Maori,  Mayan,  Mende, 
Micmac,  Mongolian,  Mooltan,  Nagri,  Nama,  Narrinyeri,  Nengone, 
Nepaulese,  Norse  or  Icelandic.  Nupe,  Oriya,  Otshi,  Persian,  Polish, 
Portuguese,  Punjabi  or  Sikh,  Pushtoo  or  Afghan,  Rarotongan,  Reval 
Esthonian,  Romaic,  Rumonsch  or  Lower  Engadine,  Russian,  Samoan, 
Samogitian,  Sanscrit,  Santali,  Sclavonic,  Sechuana,  Servian,  Sesuto, 
or  Basuto,  Sindhi,  Singhalese,  Sirenian,  Spanish,  Surinam  or  Negro 
Dutch,  Swahili,  Swedish,  Syriac,  Tahitian,  Tamil.  Telegu,  Temne, 
Tigre,  Tongan,  Turkish,  Tyi  or  Chwee,  Vikanera,  Wallachian,  Welsh, 
Yoruba. 
Bible,  Dutch.  [A  portion  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of  the  Apocrypha. 
Translated  from  the  Latin  Vulgate.]  1477.  Fol.  B.L.  First  edition 
of  any  portion  of  the  Holy  Bible  in  Dutch. 

Bible.  The  Holy  Bible,  containing  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New. 
Cambridge,  John  Baskerville.      1763.     Fol. 

Bible.  Byble  in  Englishe,  that  is  the  Olde  and  New  Testament,  after  the 
translacion  appoynted  to  bee  read  in  the  churches.  Imprynted  at  London, 
in  Flete-strete,  at  the  signe  of  the  Sunne,  over  agaynste  the  Conduyte,  by 
Edward  Whitchurche.      1549.      Fol. 

Biblia  en  lengua  Espailola  traduzida  palabra  por  palabra  de  la  verdad 
Hebrayca.     Ferrara,  1553.     Fol.      Pri^ited  for  the  use  of  the  [ews. 

Biblia  Sacra  Polyglotta.  Edidit  Brianus  Waltonius.  Lond,,  1657.  Fol. 
6  vols.     A  fine  copy.     Has  the  Cromwell  dedication. 

Bibliographiana,  by  a  Society  of  Gentlemen ;  originally  published  in  the 
"Manchester  Exchange  Herald  "  in  1815  and  1816.  Manch.,  Joseph 
Aston.  8vo.  Ojtly  24  copies  p7-inted.  7'his  copy  contains  the  names 
of  contributors  added  in  MS. 

Black-letter  ballads.     2  vols. 

Brydges,  Sir  S.  Egerton.  The  Sylvan  Wanderer ;  consisting  of  a  series  of 
mural,  sentimental,  and  critical  essays.  Printed  at  the  private  press  of 
Lee  Priory,  181 3.  8vo.  The  editions  of  the  various  works  issued 
from  the  [Lee  Briory]  Press  were  purposely  limited  to  a  s?nall  number  of 
copies,  and  were  sold  by  the  printers  to  book-collectors  at  high  prices.^''  Diet. 
Nat.  Biog. 

Calvin,  John.     Sermons  of  Maister  John  Caluin,    vpon  the  Booke  of  lob. 

Translated  out  of  French  by  Arthur  Golding.      Lond.    1584.      Fol. 
Chaucer,  Geoffrey.        The  workes  of  Geffrey  Chaucer,  newlie  printed,  with 

diuers  addicions,  whiche  were  neuer  in  print  before  ;    with  the  siege  and 

destruccion   of  the   worthy   citee  of  Thebes,  compiled  by  John  Lidgate, 

monk  of  Berie.     Lond.,    1561.     Fol.      Black  letter.      Edited  by  John 

Stowe. 
Collier,  John.     The  miscellaneous   works  of  Tim  Bobbin,  Esq.     Manch., 

1819.     8vo.      With  MS.  and  other  additions  by  Jesse  Lee. 
Collier,  John.     The  Works  of  Tim  Bobbin,  Esq. ,  in  Prose  and  Verse ;  with 

a  Memoir  of  the  Author  by  John  Corry.     Rochdale,    1819.     8vo.      With 

printed  and  pictorial  additions  by  Jesse  Lee. 

Corry,  John.  History  of  Lancashire.  Lond.  1S25.  4to.  2  vols.  With 
MS.  and  other  additions  by /esse  Lee. 

R 


258  RARE    BOOKS. 

Dante  Alighieri.  L'Inferno  di  Dante  Alighieri  disposto  in  ordine  gram- 
maticaie  e  corredato  di  brevi  dichiarazioni  da  G.  G.  Warren,  Lord 
Vernon.  Londra.  1858-65.  3  vols.  Fol.  Only  a  Iwiited  number  of 
copies  issued  for  private  circtdation.  Some  of  the  most  distinguished 
artists  and  men  of  letters  in  Italy  were  occupied  for  20  years  in  its  pre- 
paration.    Did.  Nat.  Biog.,  vol.  58,  p.  276. 

Dante  Alighieri.  Le  prime  quattro  edizioni  della  Divina  Commedia  letter- 
almente  ristampate  per  cura  di  G.  G.  Warren,  Lord  Vernon.  Londra. 
1858.     Fol. 

Bailey,  J.  E.  The  Life  of  Thomas  Fuller,  D.D.,  with  notices  of  his  books, 
his  kinsmen,  and  his  friends.  Lond.  1874.  8vo.  Bound  in  ^  vols., 
with  numerous  MS.  and  other  additions  by  the  Author.  Also  Proof- 
sheets  of  part  of  the  "  Life,"  with  author's  corrections  and  annotations. 
Also  Collection  of  letters,  transcripts,  cuttings,  and  memoranda  relating 
to  Fuller's  life  and  works. 

Dee,  Dr.  John.  Diary  for  the  years  1595-1601.  Edited,  from  the  original 
MSS.  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  by  John  Eglington  Bailey.  1880.  Not 
published.  20  copies  printed.  With  MS.  and  other  additions  by  /.  E. 
Bailey. 

Dibdin,  T.  F.  Specimen  Bibliothecae  Britannicse,  Specimen  of  a  digested 
catalogue  of  rare,  curious,  and  useful  books  in  the  English  language. 
Lond.  1808.  8vo.  Oiily  dp  copies  printed.  Presentation  copy  to  Wm. 
Ford,  Manchester,  from  the  Author.      With  many  MS.  notes  by  Ford. 

Drayton,  Michael.  Poemes  lyrick  and  pastorall,  odes,  eglogs,  the  Man 
iu  the  Moone.  Lond.,  printed  by  K.  B.,  for  N.  L.  and  L  Flasket. 
[1605.]  l2mo.  55"  leaves  unnumbered.  Only  two  other  copies  of  this 
book  were  known  to  exist  when  Lowndes  published  his  Manual ;  but  Hazlitt 
?nentions  five  perfect  copies,  and  that  two  or  three  tnoi-e  or  less  imperfect 
copies  also  exist. 

Eaton  Chronicle  ;  or,  the  Salt  Box.  1789.  8vo.  While  a  large  party  ivas 
staying  at  Eaton  Hall  in  iy8S  a  MS.  fournal  was  established  and  read  at 
breakfast.  The  sub-title  arose  from  the  contributions  being  placed  in  a  salt- 
box.      The  journal  was  afterwards  priiited,  as  above. 

[Fabyan,  Robert.  Fabyan's  Cronycle  newly  prynted,  wyth  the  cronycle, 
actes,  dedes  done  in  the  tyme  of  Henry  the  VIL,  etc.]  Lond.  W. 
Rastell.      1533.     Fol.     Incomplete. 

Florence  Miscellany.  [By  Mrs.  Piozzi,  Bertie  Greatheed,  Robert  Merry, 
William  Parsons.]  Florence.  1785.  8vo.  With  autograph  MS.  poem 
by  Wm.  Parsons  inserted.  A  "  Della  Cruscan  "  production  ;  ridiculed  in 
Giffor£s  "  Baviad  "  and  '■'  Maviad." 

Foxe,  John.  Acts  and  monuments  of  these  latter  and  perillous  dayes,  touch- 
ing matters  of  the  Church,  wherein  are  comprehended  and  described  the 
great  persecutions  and  horrible  troubles  that  have  been  wrought  and 
practised  by  the  Romish  prelates,  especiallye  in  this  realme  of  Englande 
and  Scotlande.  Lond.,  by  John  Daye.  1562-3.  Fol.  Black  letter. 
First  edition,  with  plates  and  woodcuts.  Wanting  signatures  A,  B,  Cj, 
ami  14  leaves  of  the  index. 

Eoxe,  Tohn.  Acts  and  monuments  of  the  Christian  martyrs,  and  matters 
ecclesiasticall,  passed  in  the  Church  of  Christ  from  the  primitive  beginning 
to  these  our  daies.  Lond.  1583.  Fol.  2nd  edition,  partly  black  letter, 
with  woodcuts.      Wants  the  title-page  and  last  leaf  of  the  table. 

Goussancourt,  F.  M.  de.  Le  Martyrologe  des  Chevaliers  de  S.  Jean  de 
Hiervsalem.     Paris.     1654.     Fol.     2  vols. 


RAKE    BOOR'S.  259 

Guevara,  Antony  of.  The  dial  of  princes.  Englished  by  Thomas  North, 
and  novve  newly  revised  and  corrected  by  hym.  Lond.  1582.  Fol. 
Black  letter.  A  perfect  copy  of  a  rare  and  curious  book.  An  adaptation 
from  the  "  Meditations  "  of  Marcus  Aiirelius. 

Heyrick,  Richard.  A  Sermon  preached  at  the  Collegiate  Church  at  Man- 
chester, on  Tuesday,  the  23  of  April.  1661.  Being  the  Coronation  Day 
of  his  Royal  Majestie,  Charles  II.      Lond.      1661.     Sm.  4to. 

Heyrick,  Richard.  [Petition  to  Charles  I.  "  of  divers  [of]  His  Majesties 
faithfull  subjects  of  the  true  Protestant  religion,  within  the  County 
Palatine  of  Lancaster."]     Presented  to  the  King  at  York,  May  ^i,  1642. 

Heyrick,  Richard.  Three  Sermons  preached  at  the  Collegiate  Church  in 
Manchester.       Lond.      1641.      i2mo. 

Horace.  Satira  V.  Traduzione  Italiana,  con  rami  allusivi.  Parma.  1818. 
4to.  Pt-inted  at  the  expense  of  Elizabeth,  Duchess  of  Devonshire  ( ijsg- 
1S24),  by  the  widom  of  Bodoni,  with  engraznngs  by  Caraccioli.  "  One  of 
Ike  finest  works  issued  by  [the  Bodoni'\  press."     Diet.  Nat.  Biog.,  ix.,  344. 

Ireland,  William  Henry.  Miscellaneous  papers  and  legal  documents  under 
the  hand  and  seal  of  William  Shakspearc.from  the  original  MSS.  in  the 
possession  of  Samuel  Ireland.  Lond.  1796.  Fol.  A  copy  of  the 
original  subscription  edition  of  facsimiles  of  the  Shakespeare  forgeries  of 
W.  H.  Ireland. 

Jefferson,  Thomas.  Notes  on  the  State  of  Virginia  ;  written  in  the  year 
1 78 1.  Privately  printed,  1782.  Autograph  presentatioti  copy  to  Dr. 
McMahon. 

King,  Edward,  Viscount  King.sborough.  Antiquities  of  Mexico,  comprising 
fac-similes  of  ancient  Mexican  paintings  and  hieroglyphics  preserved  in 
[various  libraries].  ...  The  drawings,  on  stone,  by  A.  Aglio.  Lond. 
1831-48.  Fol.  9  vols.  A  magnificent -cvork.  77ie  first  y  vols,  cost  King 
upiaards  of  £32,000  and  his  life.  Oppressed  with  debt,  he  was  arrested 
at  the  suit  of  a  paper  maniifacttirer,  and  lodged  in  the  Sheriff's  prison, 
Dublin,  where  he  died  of  typhus  fever  on  2jth  February,  1^37.  Diet. 
Nat.  Biog. 

Lancashire.  Fragments,  consisting  of  Portraits,  Views,  Scraps,  &c.  relating 
to  Lancashire.     Collected  by  Jesse  Lee.     4to. 

Lee,  Jesse.    Notes  on  Collier's  "Human  Passions  Delineated."    8vo.    2  vols. 

London.    A  Collection  of  the  Names  of  the  Merchants  in  and  about  London. 

Lond.  1677.      i6mo.     The  first  London  Directory.     Very  rare.      Contains 

the  autograph  of  Thomas  Hearne,  the  antiquary. 

Lucian.     Lvciani  Dialogi  et  alia  mvlta.  ...Venetiis  in  aedibus  Aldi  et  Andrew 

Asulani.     1522.     Fol.     Greek. 
Milton,  John.     Poems   of   Mr.    John    Milton,    both    English    and    Latin, 

compos'd   at  several  times.     Lond.     1645.     i2mo.      With  portrait ;   a 

fine  copy. 

Milton,  John.     Paradise  Lost,     A  poem,  in  ten  books.     The  author,  John 

Milton.      Lond.     Printed    by   S.    Simmons,    and   are  to  be  sold   by   T. 

Helder,  at  the  Angel  in  Little  Brittain,  1669.     Sm.  410.     First  edition, 

with  seventh  title-page. 
Morris,  William.     Kelmscott  Press  Publications  : — 

Lefevre.     Recuyell  of  the  Historyes  of  Troye.      1892.     2  vols. 

Voragine.     The  Golden  Legend.      1892.     2  vols. 

History  of  Godefrey  of  Boloyne.      1893. 

Caxton.     History  of  Reynard  the  Foxe.      1893. 

Meinhold.     Sidonia  the  Sorceress.     1893. 


26o  RARE    BOOKS. 

Shakespeare.     Poems.      1893. 
Morris.     Gothic  Architecture.      1893. 
Rossetti.     Hand  and  Soul.     1895. 

Morris.     Child  Christo]5her  and  Goldilind  the  fair.      1895.      2  vols. 
Laudes  Beatae  Mariae  Viiginis.      1896. 
Morris.     The  Well  at  the  World's  End.     1896. 
Morris.     Note  on  the  Kelniscott  Press.      1898. 
Ormerod,  George.    History  of  the  County  Palatine  and  the  City  of  Chester. 
Lond.    1819.      Fol.     3  vols.      With  6  additional  vols,  of  riders,    being 
collections  for  a  neiv  edition,  by  Thos.  Hehby. 
[Penry,  John.]     A  briefe  discovery  of  the  vntrvthes  and  slanders  (against  the 
trve  gouernment  of  the  Church  of  Christ)  contained  in  a  sermon  preached 
the  8  of  Fel.>ruarie,  1588,  by  D[octor  Richard]  Bancroft,  and  since  that 
time  set  forth  in  print,   with  additions  by  the  said  authour.     This  short 
answer  may  serve  for  the  clearing  of  the  truth  vntill  a  larger  confutation  of 
the  sermon  be  published.     4to.      One  of  the  Mar- Prelate  Tracts,  by  their 
chief  author  and  printer,  and  being  secretly  printed  is  exceedingly  7-are. 
Primer  in   Englishe  and  Latyn,   set  foorth  by  the  Kynges  maiestie  and  his 
clergie  to  be   taught,    learned,  and  read  :    and  none   other   to  be    vsed 
throughout  all  his  dominions.    Lond.     Richard  Grafton,  1545.     Sm.    410. 
Raffald,  Elizabeth.    The  Manchester  Directory  for  the  year  1772.    Lond.  Svo. 

The  first  Manchester  Directory  :  this  copy  has  the  paper  covers. 
Salvianus  [Bishop  of  Massilia).  Quis  Diues  Saluus.  How  a  rich  man  may 
be  saved.  .  .  .  Translated  into  English  by  N.  T.  {i.e.  Joseph  Cresswell]. 
[Lond.]  1618.  i8mo.  "[77n>]  book,  no  doubt  printed  for  ciixulation 
amongst  the  proscribed  Roman  Catholics  at  home,  and  the  refugees  on  the 
Continent,  is  7iow  a  rare  one,  and  has  not  been  described  by  English 
bibliographers. " 
Selden,  John.     Table  Talk:  being  the  discourses  of  John  Selden  .  .  relating 

especially  to  religion  and  state.      Lond.  1689.     4to.     First  edition. 

Shakespeare,    William.      Comedies,    Histories,    and    Tragedies,    published 

according  to  the  true  original!  coppies.      The  second  impression.     Lond. 

1632.     Fol.   Joliti  Philip  Kemble's  copy.     It  presents  the  same  singularity 

as  that  noticed  by  H.  G.  Bohn  in  Low7ides'  "  Bibliographer' s  Manual, ^^ 

1863,  namely,  the  word  spelt  '■'coppies.'" 

Shakespeare,    William.       Comedies,    Histories,    and    Tragedies,    published 

according  to  the  true  original  copies,  unto  which  is  added  seven  plays 

never  before  printed  in  folio.   .   .   The  fourth  edition.    Lond.    1685.    Fol. 

Shelley,   Percy  Bysshe.      Posthumous    Poems.     [Edited  by  Mrs.    Shelley.] 

Lond.  1824.  8vo. 
Spenser,  Edmund.  The  Faerie  Queen  :  The  shepheards  calendar  ;  together 
with  the  other  works  of  England's  arch-poet,  Edm.  Spenser.  .  .  Lond. 
161 1.  F""ol. 
Taylor,  John.  All  the  workes  of  John  Taylor,  the  water-poet.  Being 
sixty  and  three  in  number.  Collected  into  one  volume  by  the  author : 
with  sundry  new  additions  corrected,  revised  and  newly  imprinted.  .  . 
Lond,  1630.  Fol.  This  goodly  hut  disorderly  folio,  tvhich  had  to  be  set 
up  at  the  presses  of  four  different  printers,  .  .  has  lono  been  a  biblio- 
graphical rarity.  Diet.  Nat.  Biog. 
Walpole,  H.,  4th  Earl  of  Orford.  Miscellaneous  Antiquities.  Nos.  i  and  2. 
Strawberry  Hill,  1772.  4to.  Prifited  at  Walpole'' s  famous  private 
printing  press  at  Strawberry  Hill.  Contains  the  followim^  MS.  note  by 
Mark  'Noble,  author  of  "  The  Protectorate  House  of  Crom-well"  :—"  This 
was  presented  to  me  by  the  late  Earl  of  Orfo>-d.  There  ivere  no  more 
numbers  printed  than  the  two  here  given." 


ILLUSTRATED    BOOKS.  2lbx 

Wither,  George.  A  Collection  of  Emblemes,  ancient  and  moderne  : 
quickened  with  metricall  illvstrations,  both  morall  and  divine,  and  disposed 
into  lotteries.  .  .   Lond.      1634-35.     Fol. 

Wither,  George.  Life.  From  Wihnott's  "  Lives  of  sacred  poets."  With 
MS.  annotations  and  additions,  and  other  printed  matter  and  portraits. 

YuilJe,  R.  Mashy  .Saiin  Belek.  1837.  4to.  In  the  Mongolian  language. 
Mr.  Ytiille  {who  was  a  Scotchman),  in  a  mantiscript  account,  says  he 
made  the  press  on  which  the  book  was  printed,  also  the  matrices,  and  cast 
two  founts  of  type,  one  Mongolian  the  other  Thibetan.  I  he  only  help  he 
had  was  rendered  l>r  his  Alongolian  pupils  and  workmen. 


ILLUSTRATED   BOOKS. 
The  following  is  a  list  of  some  of  the  more  valuable 
illustrated  works  : — ■ 

Alphand,  A.     Promenades  de  Paris.     2  vols. 

Ancient    Churches    of    England.       Published    by    Society    of    Antiquaries. 

1795-1813. 
Anderson,  W.      Pictorial  Arts  of  Japan.     1886, 
Andrews,  H.  C.     Coloured  Engravings  of  Heaths.     1802.     3  vols. 
Angas,  G.  F.     New  Zealanders.     1847. 
Antiquities  de  I'Empire  de  Russie.     1849-53.     6  vols. 
Armstrong,  W.     Gainsborough  :  his  place  in  English  Art.      1898. 
Arte  Italiana.      Decorative  e  industriale.      1890-96.      5  vols. 
Asselineau,  C.     Amies  et  Armures.     J845. 
Audsley,  G.  A.     Art  of  Chromo-Lithography.      1883. 

Ornamental  Arts  of  Japan.      1882-4.      2  vols. 

and  Bowes,  J.  L.      Keramic  Art  of  Japan.      1875.     2  vols. 

Audsley,  W.  and  G.     Polychromatic  Decoration.     18S2. 

Sermon  on  the  Mount.      1861. 

Barrett,  C.  G.     Lepidoptera  of  the  British  Islands.      1893-99.     5  ^'ols. 

Bell,  M.     Edward  Burne-Jones.      1S92. 

Belnos..  Mrs.  S.  C.     Sundhya,  or  the  Daily  Prayers  of  the  Brahmins.     1851. 

Berggruen,  O.      Kronprinz-Album.      1883. 

Bernatz,  J.  M.     Scenes  in  Ethiopia.      1851.     2  vols. 

Bibliotheca  Lindesiana.    Autotype  facsimiles  of  Three  Mappemondes.     1536, 

1546,  1550. 
Birch,  G.  H.     London  Churches  of  the  17th  and  i8th  Centuries.      1896. 
Blomfield,   R.      History  of  Renaissance  Architecture  in  England.       1897. 

2  vols. 
Blume,  C.  L.     Collection  des  Orchldees.      1864. 

Flora  Javre.     1828. 

Booth,  E.  T.     Rough  Notes  on  Birds  of  British  Islands.     1 88 1. 
Borlase,  W.  C.     Dolmens  of  Ireland.     1897.     3  vols. 
Botta,  P.  E.     Monuments  de  Ninive.     1859.     5  vols. 
Bouillon,  P.     Musee  des  Antiques.     181 1-27.     3  vols. 
Bourgeois,  E.     Le  Grand  Siecle  :  Louis  XIV.      1896. 


262  ILLUSTRATED    BOOKS. 

Bowes,  J.  L.     Japanese  Pottery.      1890. 

Bradford,  W.     Arctic  Regions.     1873. 

Braund,  J.     Illustrations  of  Furniture.     1S58. 

Brinkley,  F.,  Editor,  Japan,  Described  and    Illustrated   by  the  Japanese. 

1897.     3  vols. 
British  Museum.     Antiquities  of  Britain,  Medieval  Art.    Photographs.    1872. 

Assyrian  Antiquities.     Photographs.     1872.     3  vols. 

• Catalogue  of  Birds.     1874-95.     27  vols. 

Egyptian  Antiquities.     Photographs.      1872.     2  vols. 

Etruscan  and  Roman  Antiquities.     Photographs.     1872. 

Grecian  Antiquities.     Photographs.     1S72.     2  vols. 

Pie-historic,    Ethnographical,   and    Christy  Collection.    Photographs. 

1872.     2  vols. 

Seals.     Photographs.     1872. 

Buonarroti,  M.  A.     Drawings  from  the  Lawrence  Gallery.      1853. 

Burns,  E.     Coinage  of  Scotland  :  Illustrated    from  the  Cabinet  of  Thos. 

Coats,  Esq.      1887.     3  vols. 
Carriere-Belleuse,  A.     Application  de  la  Figure  Humaine  a  la  Decoration. 

2  vols. 
Cicognara,  L.     Fabbriche  piu  conspicue  di  Venezia.      1815-20       2  vols. 
Claude  le  Lorraine.     Liber  Studiorum.     3  vols. 
Clouet,  F.     Three  Hundred  French  Portraits.      1S75.     2  vols. 
Creighton,  M.     Queen  Elizabeth.      1896. 
Cremer  and  Wolffenstein.     Der  Innere  Aiisbau.      1886. 
Curtis,  W.     Flora  Londinensis.     1777-1828.     4  vols. 
Dayot,  A.     Napoleon,  raconte  par  I'image.      1895. 
Decoration  Arabe. 

Dietterlin,  W.     Le  Livre  de  I'Architeclure.      1862.     2  vols. 
Dresser,  H.  E.     Birds  of  Europe.     1871-S1.     8  vols. 
Monograph  of  the  Meropidce.      1884-6. 

Drummond,  J.     Sculptured  Monuments  of  lona  and  the  West  Highlands. 

1881. 
Duchesne,  J.     Musee  Francais.     4  vols. 
Durer,  A.     Sammtliche  Kupferstiche.     2  vols. 
Du  Sommerard,  A.     Les  Arts  au  Moyen  Age.      10  vols. 
Eastlake,  C.  L.     Pictures  in  the  National  Gallery.     1896-99. 
Elliot,  D.  G.     Monograph  of  the  Felidre.      1883. 

Monograph  of  the  Hornbills.      1882. 

Monograph  of  the  Paradiseida;.      1873. 

Elwes,  H.  J.     Monograph  of  the  Genus  Lilium.      18S0. 
English  Art  in  the  Public  Galleries  of  London.      1888.     2  vols. 
Facsimiles  of  National  MSS.  of  Ireland.      1874-82. 
Fergusson,  J.     Ancient  Architecture  of  Hindostan.     1S47. 
Finiguerra,  M.     A  Florentine  Picture-Chionicle.     1S98. 
Fischbach,  F.      Ornament  of  Textile  Fabrics.      2  vols. 
\  Fletcher,  W.  Y.     English  Bookbindings  in  the  British  Museum.      1895. 
Fowler,  W.  VV.     Coleoptera  of  the  British  Islands.     1887-91.     5  vols. 


ILLUSTRATED    BOOK'S.  263 

Fritsch,  K.  E.  O.     Denkmaeler,  Deutscher  Renaissance.      1891.     4  vols. 

Froehner,  W.     Musees  de  France.     1873. 

Funde  von  Olympia.     1SS2. 

Gardiner,  S.  R.     Oliver  Cromwell.     1899. 

Giraud,  J.  B.     Les  Arts  du  Metal.     1881. 

Godman,    F.    D.    and    Salvin,   O.      Bioloi^ia    Centrali-Americana.      1879. 

In  progress. 
Gonse,  L.     L'Art  Gothique.     1896. 

La  Sculpture  Frangaise.     1895. 

'  Gotch,  J.  A.    Architecture  of  the  Renaissance  in  England.    1891-94,    2  vols. 
Grasset,  E.      Plants  and  their  application  to  ornament.     1896. 
Greard,  V.  C.  O.     Meissonier  :    his  life  and  art.     1897. 
Great  Cathedrals  of  the  World.     1886.     2  vols. 
Gowry,  J.,  and  Jones,  Owen.     Plans,  Elevations,   Sections,  and  Details  of 

the  Alhambra.      1842.      2  vols. 
Gruner,  L.     Decorations  of  the  Garden-Pavilion  in  the  Grounds  of  Bucking- 
ham Palace.      1846. 

Scripture  Prints  from  the  Frescoes  of  Raphael  in  the  Vatican.     1866. 

Specimens  of  Ornamental  Art.     1850. 

Grunow,  C.     Plastiche  Ornamente  der  Italienischen  Renaissance.      1881. 
Gruyer,  F.  A.     Peinture  h.  Chantilly.     1896-97. 
Guiffrey,  ].     Sir  Anthony  Van  Dyck.     1896. 
Gurlitt,  C.     Die  Baukunst  Frankreichs.      1897. 
Hamerton,  P.  G.     Graphic  Arts.      1882. 

Man  in  Art.      1892. 

Landscape.      1885. 

Harrison,  J.  E.,  and  MacColl,  D.  S.     Greek  Vase  Painting.      1894. 

Hartshorne,  A.     Old  English  Glasses.     1897. 

Havard,  H.      Ilistoire  de  I'orfevrerie  Fran9aise.      1896. 

Hipkins,  A.  J.      Musical  Instruments,    Historic,  Rare,  and  Unique.      1888. 

Holbein,  H.      Facsimiles  of  Original  Drawings.      1884. 

Holmes,  R.  R.     Specimens  of  Bookbinding,  selected  from  the  Royal  Library, 

Windsor  Castle.     1893. 
Hooker,  Sir  W.  J.,  and  Greville,  R.  K.     Icones  Filicum.     1S29.     2  vols. 
Humphreys,  H.  N.     Illuminated  Books  of  the  Middle  Ages.      1844. 
Jones,  Owen.     Grammar  of  Ornament.     1866. 

Victoria  Psalter. 

Jungh'andel,  M.     Baukunst  Spaniens.     2  vols. 
Kingsborough,  Lord.     Antiquities  of  Mexico.      1831-48.     9  vols. 
,  Kitton,  F.  G.     Charles  Dickens  by  Pen  and  Pencil.     1890. 
Laborde,  A.  de.     Descripcion  de  un  Pavimento  en  Mosayco.     1806. 
Layard,  A.  H.     Monuments  of  Nineveh.      1849. 
Le  Nordez,  Mgr.     Jeanne  d'Arc.     1898. 

Lee,  O.  A.  J.     Among  British  Birds  in  their  Nesting  Haunts.     1897. 
Lessing,  J.     Alt  Orientalische  Teppichmuster.      1877. 
Letarouilly,  P.     Le  Vatican.     1882. 
Edifices  de  Rome  Moderne. 


264  ILLUSTRATED    BOOKS. 

Lievre,  E.     Collections  celebres  d'ceuvres  d'art.     1866. 

Works  of  Art  in  the  collections  of  England. 

Lilford,  Lord.     Birds  of  the  British  Islands.      1S85-97.     7  vols. 
Linton,  W.  J.     Masters  of  Wood  Engraving.      1889. 
JVIcIan,  R.  R.     Clans  of  the  Scottish  Highlands.      1845.     2  vols. 
McKenny,  T.  L.     Indian  tribes  of  North  America.     1838-44.     4  vols. 

*  Mackenzie,  Sir  J.  D.     Castles  of  England.      1897.     2  vols. 
Malherbe,  A.     Monographie  des  Picidees.     1861.     4  vols. 
Mariette,  A.  E.     Voyage  dans  la  Haute-Egypte.      1893. 
Masson,  F.     Josephine,  imperatrice  et  reine.     1899. 

Meyer,  A.  B.,  and  Wiglesworth,  L.  W.    The  Birds  of  Celebes.      1898.    2  vols. 

Michel,  E.     Rembrandt,  his  life,  work,  and  times.     1894.     2  vols. 

Molinier,  E.     Histoire  generale  des  arts  appliques  a  I'industrie  du  Ve  a  la 
fin  du  XVIIIe  siecle.     1896-98.     3  vols. 

Montrosier,  E.     Chefs  d'oeuvre  d'art  au  Luxembourg.      1881. 

Moore,  T.,  and  Lindley.  J.     British  ferns.      1855. 

Motte,  C.     Galerie  de  S.A.R.  le  Due  d'Orleans.     2  vols. 

Miintz,  E.     Florence  et  la  Toscane.     1897. 

Histoire  de  I'art  pendant  la  Renaissance.      1889-95.     2  vols. 

Leonardo  da  Vinci.     1898.     2  vols. 

Murphy,  J.  C.     Arabian  antiquities  of  Spain.      1813. 

Musee  de  Sculpture  comparee  du  Palais  du  Trocadero.      1895. 

Muybridge,  E.     Animal  locomotion.      1887.     9  vols. 

*  Nash,  J.     Mansions  of  England  in  the  olden  time.     1839. 
National  Gallery  engravings.     1840. 

v»    Nayler,  Sir  G.     Coronation  of  George  IV.      1837. 
/    Neale,  J.     Abbey  Church  of  St.  Alban.     1878. 

Neale,  J.  P.     Westminster  Abbey.     1823.     2  vols. 

Nolhac,  P  de.     La  Dauphine  :  Marie  Antoinette.      1896. 

Norwegian  North  Atlantic  Expedition,  1876-78. 

Ongania,  F.     La  Basilica  di  S.  Marco.     1881-86.     17  vols. 

Streets  and  canals  of  Venice.     1893-96.     2  vols. 

Partington,  J.  E.     Album  of  the  Pacific  Islands.      1890-98.     3  vols. 
%     Penley,  A.     English  school  of  painting  in  water  colours.     1872. 

Pierre,  L.     Flore  forestiere  de  la  Cochin  Chine. 

Place,  V.     Ninive  et  I'Assyrie.     1867.     3  vols. 

Prentice,  A.  N.     Renaissance  architecture  and  ornament  in  Spain.     1893. 

Pyne,  J.  B.     English  Lake  District.      1853. 

Quilter,  H.     Preferences  in  art,  life,  and  literature.     1892. 


ILLUSTRATED    BOOKS.  265 

Racinet,  A.     L'Ornement  polychrome.     2  vols. 

Raphael.     Picturce  Peristyle  Vaticani.     17S0. 

Rathbone,  F.     Old  Wedgewood.      1S98. 

Rhys,  E.     Sir  Frederic  Leighton,  P.  R.  A.      1895. 

Richardson,  C.  J.     Studies  of  ornamental  design, 

Rogers,  C.     Collection  of  Prints.      1778.     2  vols. 

Riickwardt,  H.      Berliner  Neubauten. 

Ruprich- Robert,  V.     L'architecture  Normaride  aux  XI«  et  XII«  Siecles  en 

Normandie  et  en  Angleterre.      1889.     2  vols. 
Ruskin,  J.     Examples  of  the  Architecture  of  Venice.     1887. 

Lectures  on  Landscape.     1897. 

Studies  in  both  Arts.     1895. 

Sachs,  E.  O.     Modern  Opera  Houses  and  Theatres.     1897-9S.     3  vols. 

Sander,  F.     Reichenbachia.     4  vols. 

Sanders,  W.  B.     Examples  of  Carved  Oak  Woodwork.      1883. 

.Sargent,  C.  S.     Silva  of  North  America.     1892-98.      12  vols. 

Schott,  A.  and  Hagen,  K.     Die  Deutschen  Kaiser.     1847. 

Silvestre,  J.  B.     Universal  Paleography.     1850.     2  vols. 

Slezer,  J.     Theatrum  Scotiae.      1874. 

Skelton,  Sir  J.     Charles  L      1S9S. 

Solon,  L.  INI.     Art  of  the  Old  English  Potter.     1883. 

Stephens,  F.  G.     Laurence  Alma  Tadema,  R.A.     1895. 

Strack,  H.     Baudenkmaeler  Roms. 

Texier,  C.  and  PuUan,  R.  P.     Byzantine  Architecture.     1864. 

Unger,  W,     K.  K.  Gemalde-Galerie  in  Wien.     1886.     2  vols. 

Musee  National  d'Amsterdam. 

Vacher,  S.     Fifteenth  Century  Italian  Ornament.     1S86. 
Vallance,  A.     Art  of  William  Morris.      1897. 
Vetusta  Monumenta.      1747-1842.     6  vols. 
Viollet-le-Duc,  E.  E.     Compositions  et  dessins.     1884. 
Vuillier,  G.     La  Sicile.     1896. 

Wallich,  N.     Plantse  Asiaticre  rariores.     1830.     3  vols. 
Walton,  E.     The  camel.     1865. 
^     Waring,  J.  B.     Masterpieces  of  industrial  art  and  sculpture.     1863.     3  vols. 

Warner,  R.     Select  orchidaceous  plants.     1862-65. 
»  Warrington,  W.     History  of  stained  glass.      1848. 

Westwood,  J.    O.     Miniatures   and  ornaments  of  Anglo-Saxon   and    Irish 
MSS.     1868. 
J   Wild,  C.     English  and  foreign  cathedrals.     1831. 


266  HOW    TO    OBTAIN   BOOKS. 

Woodward,  B.  B.     Windsor  Castle. 

Woolward,  F.  H.,  and  Lehnnann,  F.  C.     The  genus  Masdevallia.      1896. 

Wornum,  R.  N.     Turner  gallery. 

Wyatt,  M.  D.     Industrial  arts  of  the  19th  century.      1851. 

Ysendyck,  J.  J.   van.     L'art  dans  les   Pays  Bas  du  X.  au  XVIII.  siecle. 
1880.     3  vols. 

Zahn,  W.     Ornamente  Klassischen.      1870. 

Pompeii  and  Herculaneum,     1829.     2  vols. 

HOW  TO   OBTAIN    BOOKS. 

To  obtain  books  to  read  in  the  Reference  Library  it  is 
necessary  to  write  on  a  slip,  furnished  for  the  purpose, 
the  name  and  address  of  the  appHcant,  together  with  the 
title  and  number  of  the  book  required.  These  latter 
should  be  obtained  from  the  catalogue,  which  consists  of 
three  volumes,  the  first  two  containing  a  detailed  descrip- 
tion of  the  books  in  the  library  up  to  the  end  of  the  year 
1879.  The  third  is  an  alphabetical  index  of  authors  and 
subjects  to  the  other  two,  and  is  the  only  one  provided  for 
general  use.  This  arrangement  was  necessitated  by  the 
entries  in  the  second  volume  having  been  printed  as  the 
books  were  received,  and  therefore  without  alphabetical 
order.  For  the  additions  to  the  library  since  1879,  several 
manuscript  volumes  are  provided.  The  arrangement  in 
them  is  the  same  as  in  the  index  volume  of  the  catalogue. 

As  a  supplement  to  the  manuscript  index,  there  is 
issued  a  quarterly  list  of  additions  to  the  Reference 
Library  classified  according  to  the  Dewey  system. 
This  list  of  additions  appears  in  the  MancJiester  Picblic 
Free  Libraries  Quarterly  Record,  which  is  now  in  its  third 
year  of  issue,  having  been  commenced  early  in  1897. 
Besides  the  classified  listbf  additions  the  Quarterly  Record 
has  contained  a  catalogue  of  the  Alexander  Ireland 
Collection  of  the  Works  of  Hazlitt,  &c.,  reading  lists  on 
topics    of  current   interest   such    as    Strikes,    Cuba,   and 


BIBLIOGRAPHIES.  267 

English  Art,  an  annotated  list  of  books  relating  to 
Cromwell,  and  occasional  articles  descriptive  of  interesting 
additions  to  the  library. 

Assistance  to  readers  in  the  use  of  the  catalogues,  or 
for  other  purposes,  will  be  readily  afforded  by  the  officers 
and  attendants.  Pens  and  ink  are  supplied  for  the  purpose 
of  making  notes  or  extracts,  but  their  use  for  private 
correspondence  is  contrary  to  the  regulations. 

BIBLIOGRAPHIES. 

The  library  possesses  also  a  good  collection  of  biblio- 
graphies, catalogues,  and  other  works  likely  to  be  of  use 
to  readers  in  their  search  for  information.  A  few  of  the 
more  important  books  of  this  class  are  here  named  : — 

British  Museum,  Catalogue  of  Printed  Books. 

Catalogue  of  Printed  Maps,  Plants,  and  Charts.     2  vols.     1885. 

Subject  Index  of  Modern  Books,  added  in  1880-95. 

Catalogue  of  Early  English  Books  to  1640.     3  vols. 

Catalogue  of  Books  in  the  Galleries  in  the  Reading  Room.     1S86. 

Bodleian  Library,  Oxford,  Catalogue.     4  vols.     1849-54. 

Trinity  College,  Dublin,  Catalogue.    9  vols. 

Advocates'  Library,  Edinburgh,  Catalogue.     7  vols. 

Boston  Athenaeum  Library,  Catalogue.     5  vols. 

Peabody  Institute  Library,  Baltimore,  Catalogue. 

Brooklyn  Library,  Catalogue.     1881. 

Birmingham  Free  Library,  Catalogue. 

Liverpool  Free  Library,  Catalogue. 

Hain,  Kepertorium  Bibliographicum  (books  befure  1500).    4  vols.     1826-38. 

Brunet,  Manual  du  Libraire  et  Supplement.     8  vols.     1860-S0 

Graesse,  Tresor  de  Livres  rares  et  precieux.     7  vols.      1859-69. 

Huth  Library,  Catalogue  (early  and  rare  books).     5  vols.     iSSo. 

Watt's  Bibliotheca  Britannica.     4  vols. 

Lowndes'  Bibliographical  Manual  of  English  Literature.     New  Edition  by 
H.  G.  Bohn.     6  vols. 


268  BIBLIOGRAPHIES. 

Low's  English  Catalogue.      1832-9S.     With  Indexes. 
Querard,  La  France  Litteraire.      12  vols. 

Litterature  Fran9aise  Contemporaine.     6  vols. 

Lorenz,  Libraire  Fran9aise.     1840-90.     12  vols. 

The  American  Catalogue.     5  vols. 

Hinrich's  Fiinfjahriger  Biicher-Catalog.     1850-95. 

Halkett  and  Laing,  Dictionary  of  Anonymous  and  Pseudonymous  Literature. 

Cushing,  Initials  and  Pseudonyms.     2  vols.      1886. 

Anonyms.      1889. 

Poole's  Index  of  Periodical  Literature  and  Supplements. 
Sonnenshein,  Best  Books.      1891. 

Readers'  Guide.     1895. 

Whitaker's  Reference  Catalogue. 

Allibone,  Dictionary  of  English  Literature.     1859-91.     5  vols. 

Boston  Public  Library,  Sundry  Catalogues. 

Bibliographie  Nationale  Beige.     4  vols. 

Many  bibliographies  of  special  subjects  will  be  found 
in  the  general  catalogues,  and  the  reader  may  find  it  con- 
venient to  refer  to  the  "  Hand-List  of  Bibliographies, 
Classified  Catalogues  and  Indexes,  placed  in  the  Reading 
Room  of  the  British  Museum,"  to  the  heading  "  Biblio- 
graphy" in  the  Birmingham  and  Wigan  Free  Library 
catalogues ;  and  to  the  various  lists  in  the  "  Library  Journal." 

The  books  are  arranged  on  the  shelves  on  the  "decimal" 
system  of  classification  originated  by  Mr.  Melvil  Dewey 
of  Amherst,  U.S.A.  When  the  library  was  opened 
the  books  were  placed  on  the  shelves  in  broad  classes 
according  to  a  fixed  location  scheme  devised  by  Mr. 
Edwards,  but  shortly  after  the  removal  of  the  library  to 
its  present  location  this  classification  began  to  break  down 
and  eventually  became  absolutely  useless.  It  was  there- 
fore decided  in  1894,  to  reclassify  the  whole  collection  on 
Mr.  Dewey's  method,  which,  although  somewhat  com- 
plicated, works  well  in  practice,  and  has  been  of  consider- 
able advantage  to  readers,  and  to  the  Staff. 


GROWTH  OF  LIBRARY  IN  BOOK'S  <sf  THEIR  USE.      269 

Readers  may  recommend  books  which  they  consider 
suitable  for  placing  in  the  library,  and  for  this  purpose  a 
printed  form  can  be  obtained  at  the  desk.  These  recom- 
mendations are  submitted  to  the  Committee  at  their 
ensuing  monthly  meeting. 


GROWTH  OF  THE  LIBRARY  AND  USE  OF  THE  BOOKS. 


Reference  Library. 


Number  of 
Volumes. 


Books  Used. 


I  St  Year, 

5th  „ 

loth  „ 

15th  „ 

20th  „ 

2ISt  „ 

22nd  „ 

23i"d  „ 

24th  „ 

25th  „ 
26th 

27th  „ 

28th  „ 

29th  ,, 

30th  „ 
31st 

32nd  „ 

33rd  „ 

34th  ., 

35th  „ 

36th  „ 

37th  „ 

38th  „ 

39th  „ 

40th  ,, 

41st  ,, 

42nd  ,, 

43''d  „ 

44th  „ 

45th  „ 

46th  „ 


1852-3.. 
1856-7.. 
1861-2.. 
1866-7.. 
1871-2.. 
1872-3.. 
1873-4.. 
1874-S  • 
1875-6.. 
1876-7.. 
1877-8.. 
1878-9.. 
1879-80 
1880-1.. 
1881-2.. 
1882-3.. 
1883-4.. 
1884-5.. 
1885-6.. 
1886-7.. 
1887-8.. 
1888-9  . 
1889-90 
1890-1.. 
1891-2.. 
1892-3.. 
1893-4., 
1894-5., 
1895-6. 
1896-7., 
1897-8., 


15744 
25858 
31604 
39264 
46614 
50508 
52540 
53821 

55273 
56480 

58554 
61171 
63772 
67700 
70320 
73308 
75997 
78551 
81930 
84064 
86654 

90573 
92942 

95399 
97739 
99845 
102S06 
104692 
107449 
110358 
114630 


61080 

82158 

127669 

112132 

82654 

95908 

81594 

67560 

61213 

37320 

63957 

173137 

186448 

203194 

210195 

252648 

278876 

283232 

294444 

278558 

305765 

336058 

307785 

284829 

323453 
297827 

339894 
4161C0 
419949 
437798 
440442 


THE  LENDING  LIBRARIES. 


HE    twelve    lending  libraries  are    named    and 
situated   as   follows  : — 

Deansgate  ;  in  Deansgate. 

Hulme  ;  Stretford  Road. 

Ancoats  ;  Every  Street. 

Rochdale  Road  ;  Livesey  Street,  Rochdale 
Road. 

Chorlton  and  Ardwick  ;  Rusholme  Road. 

Cheetham  ;  York  Street,  Cheetham. 

Newton  Heath  ;  Oldham  Road. 

Rusholme  ;   Dickenson  Road. 

Longsight ;  Stockport  Road. 

Gorton  ;  Belle  Vue  Street. 

Openshaw  ;  Ashton  Old  Road. 

Moston  ;  Moston  Lane. 
Each  of  these  libraries  contains  a  lending  library,  news- 
room, and  boys'  room,  except  that  at  Moston,  where  a  boys' 
room  has  not  yet  been  provided.  The  lending  depart- 
ments are  furnished  with  books  of  a  standard  character  in 
every  department  of  literature,  and  their  interest  is 
maintained  by  a  regular  supply  of  the  best  new  books. 
Any  person  may  recommend  books  for  addition  to  the 
library,  and  a  form  for  the  purpose  can  be  obtained  on 
application.     In  each  library  there  is  a  special  collection 


PERIODICALS    TAKEN  AT   THE   BRANCHES.  271 

of  music,  and  in  the  Deansgate  Branch  one  of  books  for 
the  bHnd.  Catalogues  on  the  index  system  are  provided, 
ranging  in  price  from  3d.  to  6d.  each.  Instructions  for 
obtaining  books  to  read  at  home  are  given  on  page  233. 
Books  may  also  be  obtained  to  read  in  the  newsrooms, 
during  the  whole  time  that  they  are  open,  by  signing 
a  ticket  provided  for  the  purpose.  The  lending  depart- 
ments are  open  from  8-30  a.m.  to  9-0  p.m.  every  day 
except  Saturday,  when  they  are  closed  at  5-0  p.m.,  and 
they  are  also  closed  on  Sunday. 

The  newsrooms  are  provided  with  a  large  number  of 
newspapers  and  periodicals  for  perusal.  The  following  is 
a  list  of  those  supplied  at  the  present  time,  June,  1S99  : 


PERIODICALS  AND   NEWSPAPERS  TAKEN  IN  THE  BRANCH 
LIBRARIES   AND   READING   ROOMS. 

In  cases  -where  the  Serials  are  not  taken  at  every  Library  and  Reading  Room, 
the  initials  of  the  Branches  to  ivhich  they  are  supplied  are  appended. 


A. 

Ancoats 

D. 

Deansgate 

M. 

Moston 

B. 

Bradford 

G. 

Gorton 

NH. 

Newton  Heath 

Che. 

Cheelham 

Har. 

Harpurhey 

0. 

Openshaw 

CR. 

Chester  Road 

Hul. 

Hulme 

RR. 

Rochdale  Road 

Cho. 

Chorlton 

HR. 

Hyde  Road 

R. 

Rushohne 

Cr. 

Crunipsall 

L. 

Longsight 

Aberdeen  Free  Press  (Che.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  RR.) 
Aberystwyth  Observer  (Hul.) 
Academy  (Cho.  D.  Hul.  L.  O.  R.) 
Accountant  (A.  Che.  Cho.  Cr.  D.  G. 

Har,  Hul.  HR.  NH.  O.  R.) 
African  Review  (R.) 
Alliance  News  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D.  G. 

Hul,  L.  NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Anglo-Californian  (R), 
Animal  World  (All  Branches  except 

Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Animal's  Friend  (Har.) 
Architectural  Review  (O.) 
Argosy  (A.  Che.   Cho.   D.  G.    Hul. 

L.  NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Arms  and  Explosives  (D.) 
Army   and    Navy   Gazette   (A.    Che. 

CR.  Cho.  D.  G.   Hul.    NH.  O. 

RR.  R.) 


Army  List   Monthly   (A.    Che.    CR. 

Cho.  D.  G.  Hul.  HR.  RR.) 
Ashton-under-Lyne  Reporter  (G.  L. 

NH.  O.) 
Assure  (D.) 
Athenceum  (All  Branches  except  B. 

Cr.  M.) 
Atlantic  Monthly  (D.  Hul.  RR.) 
Awake  (A.  Cho.  D.  Hul.) 
Band  of  Hope  Review  (A.  Che.  CR. 

Cho.  D.  G.  Hul.  HR.  L.  NH.  O. 

RR.  R.) 
Banner  of  Israel  (Che.  Har. ) 
Banner   and   Times  of  Wales  (Cho. 

Hul.) 
Belfast    News    Letter  (A.  Che.  CR- 

Cho.  D.  G.  Hul.  O.  RR.) 
Bible  Advocate  (All  Branches) 
Bible  Society  Gleanings  for  the  Young 

(A.  Chfc.  Cho.  D.  Hul.  RR.) 


272 


PERIODICALS    TAKEN  AT   THE   BRANCHES. 


Bible  Society  Monthly  Reporter  (A. 

Che.  Cho.  Hul.  D.  RR.) 
Bimetallist (All  Branches  except  Cr.  M. ) 
Birmingham  Daily  Gazette  (A.   Che. 

CR.  Cho.  D.  Har.   Hul.  HR.  L. 

NH.  RR.  R.) 
Birmingham  Daily  Post  (All  Branches 

except  B.  Har.  M.) 
Birmingham  Weekly  Mercury  (D.) 
Black  and  White  (All  Branches.) 
Blackley  Guardian  (Har.  M.  NH.) 
Blackwood's  Magazine  (A.  Che.  Cho. 

D.  Hul.  RR.) 
Boiler   Explosions  (A.  Che.  D.  Hul. 

RR.) 
Bookman  (Che.  D.  G.  Hul.  O.) 
Boy's    Own    Paper     (All     Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Bradford  (Manchester)  Reporter  (B.) 
Bradford   (Yorks.)  Observer  (D.) 
Bradshaw's  Railway  Guide  {See  Rail- 
way Guide) 
British  Trade  fournal  (D.) 
British  Weekly  (All  Branches  except 

Cr.  M.) 
British  Workman  (All  Branches  except 

B.  Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Broad  Arrow  (Che.  CR.  Cho.  D.  G. 

Hul.  HR.  L.  RR.) 
Builder  (A.  B.  Che.  Cho.  D.  G.  Har. 

Hul.  HR.) 
Builders'  Reporter  (D.) 
Building  News  (A.   CR.   D.  G.  Hul. 

L.  M.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Building  World  (RR.) 
Cabinet  Maker  (A.  Cho.  D.  G.  O.) 
Cambrian  News  (Che.  Hul.) 
Canadian  Gazette  (G.) 
Cape  Argus  (D.) 
Carnarvon  and  Denbigh  Herald  (Cho. 

D.  Har.  Plul.) 
Carpenter  and  Builder  (All  Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Cassell's      Family      Magazine      (All 

Branches) 
Cassell's     Saturday      Journal      (All 

Branches  except  Cr.  M.) 
Catholic  Fireside  (G.  NH.  RR.) 
Catholic  Missions  (A.  Hul.  RR.) 
Catholic  Times  (All  Branches  except 

Cr.  M.  NH.) 
Century     Magazine     (All     Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Chambers's  Journal  (All  Branches) 
Chatterbox  "(AH  Branches  except  Cr. 

Har.  M.) 
Chemical  News  (B.  D.  Hul.  NH.) 
Child's  Guardian  (D.) 


Children's     Friend     (All     Branches 

except  Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Children's  World  (A.  Cho.  D.  Hul.) 
Chorley  Guardian  (NH.) 
Christian  Budget  (RR.) 
Christian  World  (All  Branches  except 

Cr.  M.) 
Chums  (All  Branches  except  Cr.  M.) 
Church    Missionary   Gleaner    (A.    B. 

Che.  CR.  Cho.  Cr.  D.  Har.  Hul. 

HR.  RR.) 
Church  Missionary  lutelligencer  (A. 

Che.  Cho.  D.  Hul.  RR.) 
Church     of     England     Temperance 

Chronicle  (All  Branches.) 
Church  Weekly  (D.) 
Civil  Service  Aspirant  (Che.) 
Civil  Service  Competitor  (Che.  Hul.) 
Civil  Service  Examiner  (A.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  NH.  RR.) 
Civil  Service  Monthly  (Hul.) 
Clarion  (HR.) 
Cole's  Excursion  List  (A.) 
Colliery  Guardian  (B.  IX) 
Contemporary  Review  (A.  Che.  Cho. 

D.  Har.  Hul.  L.  NH.  RR.  R.) 
Contract  Journal  (D.  L. ) 
Cook's  Excursionist  (A.  Che.  D.  Hul. 

R.) 
Co-operative  News  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

G.  Hul.  RR.) 
Cork  Examiner  (A.  Hul.) 
Cornhill    Magazine    (All    Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Cottager  and  Artisan  (A.  Che.  Cho. 

D.  Hul.  RR.) 
Cotton  (All  Branches) 
Country  Sport  (B.) 
Cow-keeper  and  Dairyman's  Journal 

(D.) 
Crumpsall  Guardian  (Che.  Cr. ) 
Daily  Chronicle  (All  branches  except 

B.  G.  M.) 
Daily  Graphic  (All  Branches) 
Daily  News  (All  Branches  except  Cr. 

M.) 
Daily  Telegraph  (All  Branches) 
Deceased  Seamen  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  NH.  RR.) 
Deliverer  (D.) 
Draper's  Record  (A.  B.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

Har.  Hul.  HR.  RR.) 
Educational  Times  (NH.  R. ) 
Electrical  Review  (Hul.) 
Engineer  (All  Branches  except  Cr.  M. 

R.) 
Engineering  (A.  B.  Che.  CR.  D.  G. 

Hul.  HR.  L.  O.  R.) 


PERIODICALS    TAKEN  AT  THE  BRANCHES. 


273 


English  Churchman  (M.  O.  RR.) 
English    lUustrated    Magazine    (All 

Branches) 
English    Mechanic    (All    Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Era(Cho.  Hul.) 
Estates  Gazette    (A.    Cho.    D.    Hul. 

RR.) 
Evening  Student  (All  Branches) 
Faith  of  our  Fathers  (RR.) 
Family  Friend  (A.) 
Family  Herald  (All  Branches  except 

Cr.  M.) 
Farm,  Field,  and  Fireside  (D.  NH.) 
Field  (CR.  Cho.  D.  Hul.  L.  O.) 
Fire  and  Water  (NH.) 
Foresters'  Miscellany  (NH.) 
Fortnightly  Review  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

G.  Hul.  L.  NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Free  Russia  (A.    B.   Cho.    D.    Har. 

Hul.  HR.  NH.) 
Free  Sunday  Advocate  (Cho.) 
Freeman's    Journal    (All    Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Fruit  Grower  (D.) 
Furniture  and   Decoration  (A.  Che. 

Cho.  D.  Hul.  RR.) 
Gardeners'  Chronicle  (CR.  Cho.  Har. 

Hul.  HR.  M.  R.) 
Gardening  (A.  D.  R.) 
Gazette  and  News  (R.) 
Gentlewoman    (All  Branches  except 

CR.  G.  M.) 
Geography  (D. ) 
Girl's    Own    Paper    (All    Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Glad   Tidings  (All   Branches  except 

Cr.  M.) 
Glasgow   Herald  (A.   B.   Che.  Cho. 

D.  Hul.  RR.) 
Good  Templar's  Watchword  (Cho.) 
Good  Words  (All  except  Cr.  M.) 
Gorton  Reporter  (G.  HR.  L.  O.) 
Graphic  (All  Branches) 
Grocers'  Review  (AlLBranches  except 

M.) 
Guardian  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D.  G.  Har. 

Hul.  L.  O.  RR.) 
Gwalia  (Hul.) 
Harper's    Magazine    (All     Branches 

except  B.) 
Health  News  (G.) 
Hereford  Times  (Cho.) 
House  (NH.) 
Hollandia  (Har.) 
Idler  (Hul.) 

Illustrated  London  News  (All  Bran- 
ches. ) 


Incorporated     Accountants'    Journal 

(Cho.) 
India  Rubber  Trade  Journal  (Cr. ) 
Industries  and  Iron  (A.    Che.  Cho. 

D.  Hul.) 
Inquirer  (A.   Che.   D.  Hul.  HR.   L. 

RR.) 
Insurance  Agent  and  Review  (A.  Cho. 

D.  Hul.  HR.  RR.) 
Insurance  and  Banking  Review  (RR.) 
Invention  (Hul.) 
Inventor's  Record  (Hul.) 
Inventor's  Review   (A.    Cho.    D.   G. 

Har.  L.  M.  NH.  R.) 
Irish  Daily  Independent  (RR.) 
Irish  Times  (All  Branches  except  B. 

Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Iron  and  Coal  Trades'  Review  (D. 

Hul.) 
Iron  and  Steel  Trades'  Journal  (Cho.) 
Jewish  Chronicle  (Che.) 
Jewish  Missionary  Gleaner  (Che.) 
Jewish    Missionary    Intelligence    (A. 

Che.  Cho.  D.  Hul.  L.  RR.) 
Jewish  World  (Che.) 
Journal  of  the  Clerk  of  Works  Associ- 
ation (D.) 
Journal  of  Gas  Lighting  (NH.) 
Judy  (A.  Che.  Cho.  G.  Hul.  HR.) 
Juvenile  Magazine  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  L.  RR.  R. ) 
Juvenile  Rechabite  (All  Branches) 
Knitter's  Circular  (D.) 
Knowledge  (A.    CR.   D.   Har.  NH. 

O.) 
Labour  Gazette  (A.  B.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

Har.  Hul.  HR.  L.  NH.  R.) 
Labour  News  (All   Branches  except 

Cr.  M.) 
Lady's  Realm  (A.  Che.  Cho.  Cr.  D. 

G.  Hul.  HR.  L   M.  NH.  O.  R. 
Lancet  (Cho.  Hul.  R.) 
Land  and  Water  (Che.  D.  Hul.  RR. 

R.) 
Laundry  News  (Che.) 
Leeds  Mercury  (All  Branches  except 

Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Leisure  Hour  (All  Branches.) 
Liberator  (A.  B.  Cho.  D.  Har.   Hul. 

HR.  RR.) 
Light  in  the  Home  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  RR.) 
Literary  Guide  (HR.  RR.) 
Literary  World  (Hul.) 
Little  Folks  (All  Branches  except  B. 

Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Liverpool    Daily   Courier   (A.    Che. 
Cho.  D.  G.  Hul.  L.  RR.) 


274 


PERIODICALS   TAKEN  AT  THE   BRANCHES. 


Liverpool    Daily  Post  (Cho.   D.  G. 

NH.  O.  K.) 
Liverpool  Mercury  (A.  B.  Che.  CR. 

Cr.  D.  Har.  Hul.  HR.  L.  O.  RR.) 
Local  Government  Journal  (NH.) 
London  Tailor  (O.) 
Longman's  Magazine  (A.  Che.  D.  G. 

Hul.  L.  NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Machinery  (CR.  Hul.) 
Machinery  Market  (A.  L.  RR.  R. ) 
Macmillan's  Magazine  (A.  Che.  CR. 

Cho.    D.    Har.   Hul.  L.  NH.  O. 

RR.  R.) 
Madame  (R.) 
Magazine  of  Art  (A.  Che.  Cho.  Cr. 

D.  G.  Hul.  L.M.  NH.O.  RR.R.) 
Manchester  City  News  (All  Branches.) 
Manchester  Courier  (All  Branches.) 
Manchester       Entertainments      Pro- 
gramme (All  Branches  except  CR. 

Cr.  HR.  M.) 
Manchester  Evening  Chronicle  (All 

Branches.) 
Manchester      Evening      Mail      (All 

Branches. ) 
Manchester     Evening     News      (All 

Branches) 
Manchester   Faces   and    Places  (A. 

Che.   Cho.    Cr.    D.   G.   Hul.   L. 

NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Manchester  Guardian  (All  Branches) 
Manchester     Health     Returns     (All 

Branches) 
Manchester  Quarterly  (All   Branches 

except  B.  Cr.  M.) 
Manchester      Weekly     Times      (All 

Branches) 
Mariner  (CR.  D.  G.  H.  O.) 
Mark  Lane  Express  (B. ) 
Melia's  Magazine  (A.  Che.  Hul.  R.) 
Messenger(A.Che.Cho.  D.  Hul.RR.) 
Midland  Counties  Herald  (D.  Hul.) 
Mining  Engineering  (A.  B.  Che.  CR. 

Cho.  D. ) 
Mission  Field  (All  Branches  except 

Cr.  M.) 
Month  (RR.) 
Monthly    Journal      of     Society     of 

Musicians  (Che.) 
Monthly  Reporter  (Cho.  Hul.) 
Morning  Post  (Che.  Hul.  O.) 
Musical  Herald  (Che.  D.  Hul.) 
Musical  Tunes  (All  Branches  except 

B.  Cr.  M.) 
National   Church  (A.    Che.   Cho.  D. 

Hul.  RR.) 
Nature  (Che.  D.   Hul.   L.  NH.  RR. 
R.) 


New  Church  Magazine  (A.  Che.  Cho. 

D.  Hul.  L.  M.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Newcastle  Chronicle  (D.  RR.) 
Nmeteenth    Century   (All    Branches 

except  B.  M.) 
Northern  Churchman  (O. ) 
Notes  and  Queries  (L. ) 
Nottingham  Express  (Che.) 
Odd-Fellows  Magazine  (A.   D.  Har. 

Hul.  NH.  RR.) 
Optical  Magic  Lantern  Journal  (Che. 

G.) 
Our  Own  Gazette  (A.  Cho.  D.  Hul. 

RR.) 
Owens  College  Union  Magazine(RR. ) 
Pall[  Mall    Gazette     (All    Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Pall  Mall    Magazine    (All    Branches 

except  M.) 
Pearsons  Magazine  (Cr.    M.) 
Personal  Rights  (D.) 
Phonetic  Journal  (All  Branches  except 

B.  Cr.  Har.  M.  RR.) 
Pitman's  Shorthand  Weekly  (CR.) 
Poor  Law  Officers'  Journal  ((i.) 
Positivist    Review   (A.    B.    Che.    D. 

Har.  Hul.  HR.  NH.  R.) 
Post  (Hul.) 
Post  Magazine  and  Insurance  Gazette 

(Cho.) 
Preston  Guardian  (A.   Che.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  RR.) 
Preston  Herald  (Cho.) 
Printers'  Engineer  (D.) 
Printers'  Register  (D.) 
Property  List  (A.    B.   Che.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  HR.  R.) 
Public  Health  Engineer  (G.) 
Punch  (All  Branches) 
Queen  (All  Branches  except  B.  RR.) 
Quiver  (All  Branches  except  B.   Cr. 

Har.  M.) 
Railway  Guide,  Bradshaw  (All  Bran- 
ches) 
Railway  Guide,  Heywood  (A.    Cho. 

D.  Hul.  RR.) 
Railway  Guide,  Sim's  (Cho.  D.  RR.) 
Railway  News  (Cho.  G.) 
Railway   Review  (A.    Cho.    Har.    L. 

NH.) 
Railway  Timetal>le,  Caledonian  Rail- 
way (D.  Hul.) 
Cheshire  Lines  (Cho.   Cr.    D. 

Hul.  L.  RR.  R.) 

Great  Central   (A.    Che.  Cho. 

Cr.  D.  Hul.  HR.  L.  RR.) 

-. Great  Northern  (A.  Che.  Cho. 

D.  Hul.  HR.  RR  ) 


PERIODICALS    TAKEN  AT  THE  BRANCHES. 


275 


Railway  Timetable  Great  Western  (A. 

Che.  Cho.  D.   G.  Har.  Hul,   L. 

NIL  RR.  R.) 
Lancashire  and   Yorkshire  (A. 

Che.  Cho.  Cr.  D.  IIul.  HR.  RR.) 
London,   Chatham,  and  Dover 

(D.) 
London   and    North   Western 

(A.   Che.    Cho.   Cr.    D.   G.  Hul. 

HR.  L.  NH.  RR.  R.) 
Midland    (A.    Che.     Cho.     D. 

Hul.  HR.  L.  RR.  R.) 

North  British  (D.) 

North  Eastern  (Che.  Cr.) 

Reading  Mercury  (Hul.) 

Rechabite  and  Temperance  Magazine 

(All  Branches) 
Reporters'  Magazine  (Cho.) 
Review  of  Reviews  (All  Branches) 
Rhondda  Post  (Har.) 
Rochdale  Observer  (Che.  Cho.  Cr.) 
Rural  World  (NH.) 
St.  James's  Gazette  (A.  CR.  Cr.  Cho. 

D.  G.  Hul.  HR.  L.  NH.  O.  RR. 

R.) 
St.    Nicholas   (All    Branches  except 

B.  Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Sales  and  Wants  Advertiser  (D.) 
Salford  Chronicle  (Che.  D.) 
Saturday  Review  (All  Branches  except 

B.  Har.  M.) 
Schoolmaster  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D.  Hul. 

L.  NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Science  Gossip  (Hul.) 
Scientific  American  and  Supplement 

(A.    Che.    Cho.    D.    G.    Hul.    L. 

NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
Scotsman  (All  Branches  except  B.  Cr. 

^L) 
Scribner's    Magazine    (All    Branches 

except  B.  CR.  Cr.   ^L) 
Script     Phonographic    Journal    (All 

Branches) 
Sheffield   Daily  Telegraph  (A.   Che. 

Cho.  D.  Har.  Hub  NH.  O.  RR. 

R.) 
Shepherds'    Magazine    (A.    B.    Che. 

CR.    Cho.    D.    Har.    Hul.    HR. 

NH.  RR.) 
Shorthand    Magazine  (A.   Che.   Cho. 

D.  Hul.  O.  RR.) 
Skegness  Herald  (D.) 
Sketch  (All  Branches  except  M.) 
Son  of  Temperance  (All  Branches) 
South  Wales  Daily  News  (Cho.) 
South  Manchester  Chronicle  (L.  R.) 
Speaker  (Che.  Cr.  D.  G.  Hul.  L.  M. 

O.  RR.  R.) 


Spectator  (All  Branches  except  B.  CR.) 
Staffordshire  Sentinel  (O.) 
Standard  (All  Branches  except  Cr.  M.) 
Stationery  Trades'  Journal  (Hul.) 
Stationery  World  (NH.) 
Stock  and  Share  News  (A.) 
Strand  Magazine  (All  Branches) 
Sunday  (All  Branches  except  B.  Cr. 

Har.  M.) 
Sunday  at  Home  (All  Branches) 
Sunday     Magazine      (All     Branches 

except  B.  Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Sunshine  (A.  Che.   CR.  Cho.  D.  G. 

Hul.  HR.  O.  RR.) 
Tablet  (A.  Che.  D.  G.  Hul.  L.  NH. 

O.  RR.  R.) 
Temple  Bar  (All  Branches  except  Cr. 

M.) 
Textile  Mercury  (All  Branches  except 

(CR.  Cr.  Har.  M.) 
Textile   Recorder  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D. 

Hul.  RR.) 
Times  (All  Branches  except  M. ) 
Tool  and  Machinery  Register  (A.  B. 
CR.  Che.  Cho.  D.  G.  Hul.  HR. 
NH.  O.  RK.) 
Tract  Magazine  (Hul.  RK.) 
Trade  and  Industry  (O.) 
Trade  Journals  Review  (D.  Hul.) 
Travel  (A.  D.  Hul.) 
Truth  (All  Branches  except  M.) 
Tuam  Herald  (D.) 
Two  Worlds  (All  Branches) 
University  Correspondent  (D.  Hul.) 
University  Extension  Journal  (Che.) 
Vaccination    Inquirer  (All    Branches 

except  Cr.  AI.) 
Vegetarian  Messenger  (All  Branches 

except  Cr.  M.) 
Volunteer  Record  (Hul.) 
Warehouseman     and    Draper    (Che. 

Cho.  D.  Hul.  HR.  RR.  R.) 
Warrington  Guardian  (D.) 
Weekly  Dispatch  (Cho.) 
Welsh  Nation  (D.  Hul.) 
Westminster   Budget   (All    Branches 

except  B.  CR.  Cr.  M.) 
Westminster   Gazette    (All    Branches 

except  A.  CR.  Cr.  M.) 
What's  On  (A.  Che.  Cho.  D.  G.  Hul. 

L.  NH.  O.  RR.  R.) 
W^indsor     Magazine     (All     Branches 

except  ]\L) 
Woman  at  Home  (A.  Hul.) 
Worcester  Herald  (Hul.) 
Work  (All  Branches  except  Cr.  M.) 
World  (Che.  Cr.  Cho.  D.Hul.  HR. 
L.  NH.  O.  RR.) 


276  READING  ROOMS. 

Yorkshire  Post  (Cho.  Hul.)  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Beehive  (All  Branches.) 

Younp  Days  (A.  Che.  CR.   Cho.  D.  Young  Woman  (All  Branches  except 

G.  Hul.  HR.  L.  NH.  RR.  R.)  Cr.  M.) 

Youne  Man  (All  Branches  except  Cr.  Zoophilist  (A.    Che.    Cho.    D.    Har. 

M  )  Hul.  NH.  RR.) 

Many  of  the  periodicals  are  bound  when  the  volumes 
are  complete,  and  added  to  the  stock  of  the  library. 
Several  newspapers  are  also  kept  on  file  for  some  time, 
and  a  directory  of  Manchester,  list  of  voters,  encyclopaedias, 
and  some  other  works  of  reference  are  provided  at  each 
library.  The  newsrooms  are  open  every  week-day  from 
8-30  a.m.  to  1 0-0  p.m.,  and  on  Sunday  from  2-0  p.m.  to 
9-0  p.m. 

READING   ROOMS. 
The  five  reading  rooms  are  named  and  situated  thus — 
Bradford  ;  Brook  Street. 
Harpurhey  ;  Queen's  Park. 
Hyde  Road  ;  Hyde  Road. 
Chester  Road  ;  Chester  Road. 
Crumpsall ;  Crescent  Road,  Crumpsall. 
They  are  provided  with  newspapers  and  periodicals,  as 
detailed  in  the  list  given  on  page  271,  and  also  a  selection 
of  books  suitable  for  reading  and  for  reference.     Books 
can  also  be  obtained  for  home  reading  from  the  Branch 
Library  nearest   to  any  of  them  on   application.     These 
rooms  are  kept  open  during  the  same  hours  as  the  Branch 
Libraries. 

The  reading  room  at  Bradford  occupies  part  of  the 
building  formerly  used  as  the  Town  Hall  of  that  township. 
When  no  longer  required  for  that  purpose,  it  was  handed 
over  to  the  Libraries  Committee,  and  its  Council  Chamber 
was  converted  into  a  reading  room.  This  was  thrown  open 
to  the  public  on  February  8th,  1 887,  Alderman  Walton 
Smith,  then  Chairman  of  the  Committee,  presiding  at  the 
meeting. 


BRADFORD    READING   A'OOM.  277 

Alderman  Smith  said  the  inhabitants  of  Bradford 
were  by  no  means  lacking  in  literary  tastes,  for  hitherto 
they  had  been  good  customers  of  the  Ancoats  Branch 
lending  library.  In  considering  what  could  be  done  for 
the  educational  welfare  of  the  newly  added  district  of 
Bradford,  the  Free  Libraries  Committee  found  that  the 
library  rate  of  id.  in  the  pound  on  the  rateable  property 
in  Bradford  produced  about  ;^200  per  annum,  which  was 
much  too  small  to  permit  a  branch  lending  library  being 
established,  but  they  could  provide  the  combined  news 
and  reading  room,  in  which  they  were  then  assembled, 
which  would  entail  an  annual  expenditure  of  about  ^200. 
He  had  much  pleasure  in  declaring  the  reading  room 
open  for  the  use  of  the  public. 

Mr.  Thewlis  Johnson  said  he  had  for  a  long  time 
regretted  there  was  no  place  in  the  district  where  working 
men  could  read  the  papers  in  comfort,  and  he  had  no 
doubt  the  people  of  Bradford  were  grateful  to  the 
Libraries  Committee  for  the  handsome  provision  now 
made  for  their  wants. 

Alderman  John  Hopkinson  said  this  was  an  illustra- 
tion of  the  benefits  of  co-operation.  On  the  rent  of  a 
house  at  55.  a  week,  the  cost  of  providing  libraries 
amounted  to  lod.  a  year,  so  that  for  less  than  a  farthing  a 
week  a  ratepayer  of  this  kind  had  the  use  of  the  reading 
room  and  the  libraries  elsewhere  in  the  city,  with  as  much 
of  the  best  literature  as  he  and  his  family  could  get 
through.  The  more  they  had  of  such  institutions  the 
more  might  they  expect  to  diminish  the  police  expenses 
of  the  city, 

Mr.  W.  E.  A.  Axon,  who  suggested  that  lectures  should 
be  given  in  connection  with  the  reading  room,  and  other 
gentlemen  also  addressed  the  meeting. 

This  Reading  Room  has  not  been  so  eminently  suc- 
cessful as  the  other  undertakings  of  the  Libraries  Com- 
mittee owing  doubtless  to  the  inconvenient  situation  of 
the  building.  A  Boys'  Room  was  added  in  November, 
1889,  and  it  has  been  fairly  well  used. 

On  the  following  day,  February  9th,  1887,  the  Har- 
purhey  Reading  Room  was  opened.     This  building  was 


278  HARPURHEY  READING  ROOM. 

erected  from  designs  by  Mr.  John  Allison,  then  Cit\- 
Surveyor,  at  a  cost  of  ;^400.  The  site  is  within  the 
Queen's  Park  near  to  the  principal  entrance,  and  was  given 
by  the  Parks  Committee.  The  building  consists  of  a  large, 
well-lit  room  with  two  smaller  ones  for  the  attendants,  all 
being  on  the  same  floor.  There  is  accommodation  for  about 
200  readers,  and  the  usual  newspapers,  magazines,  and 
books  of  reference  are  provided.  The  opening  ceremony 
was  held  in  the  room,  Alderman  Walton  Smith  presiding. 

Alderman  Smith  said  he  was  aware  that  some  people 
were  not  satisfied  with  the  exterior  of  the  building,  and 
had  written  letters  to  the  press  not  very  commendator}' 
of  the  Libraries  Committee.  He  thought  his  audience 
would  agree  with  him,  however,  when  he  said  the  interior 
was  pleasant  and  agreeable,  and  trusted  that  the  work 
carried  on  there  would  give  both  recreation  and  edu- 
cation. That  they  had  not  a  larger  and  better  building 
was  simply  due  to  the  expenses  incidental  to  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  lending  libraries.  They  found  that  the 
expenses  of  that  room  would  amount  to  iJ'200  yearly. 
From  a  penny  rate  Harpurhey  did  not  contribute  i^ioo. 
He  then  declared  the  room  open. 

Councillor  Harry  Ravvson  said  the  present  room  was 
one  of  the  first  fruits  from  their  junction  with  Manchester. 
It  could  hardly  be  called  a  very  great  boon,  but  it  was  a 
very  fair  beginning  of  a  vigorous  shoot,  which  he  hoped 
would  strike  its  roots  deep  in  the  earth  and  flourish  so 
well  that  the  Committee  would  find  it  necessary  to  trans- 
plant it  where  it  might  get  more  light  and  air. 

Mr.  Geo.  Milner  also  spoke  and  advocated  the  delivery 
of  short  lectures  on  books,  and  the  placing  in  the  room 
the  volumes  of  Cassell's  National  Library. 

The  Hyde  Road  Reading  Room  was  inaugurated  on 
May  7th,  1888,  by  public  meeting  held  in  the  room. 

The  Mayor,  Alderman  (since  Sir)  John  James  Harvvood, 
in  declaring  the  building  open,  said  it  must  be  a  great 
gratification  to  the  Council  and  to  the  Libraries  Com- 
mittee particularly,  to  know  how  deeply  these  reading 


HYDE   ROAD   READING   ROOM.  279 

rooms  and  libraries  were  appreciated  by  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Manchester.  The  total  number  of  visits 
to  all  the  libraries  for  all  purposes  during  last  year 
was  4,178,400.  Had  anyone  prophesied  fifty  years 
ago  that  there  would  have  been  over  4,000,000  visits  to 
free  libraries  in  a  year,  he  would  have  been  set  down 
as  a  person  given  to  exaggeration.  In  1877-8,  the 
first  year  that  the  Committee  were  able  to  open 
reading  rooms  for  boys,  the  juvenile  visitors  numbered 
21,424;  while  in  1886-7,  the  last  year  for  which  they 
had  the  statistics,  the  number  had  increased  to  350,800. 
He  hoped  they  would  look  upon  that  reading  room  as 
something  sacred,  that  they  would  try  to  induce  others 
to  visit  the  room,  and  that  they  would  make  a  proper 
and  profitable  and  good  use  of  the  newspapers  and  books 
which  would  be  provided  for  them  by  the  Council.  He 
desired  to  compliment  the  Libraries  Committee  on  the 
efficient  way  in  which  they  had  done  their  work,  and  he 
hoped  Mr.  Alderman  Smith  and  his  colleagues  would 
be  long  spared  to  carry  on  this  good  work  at  such  a  small 
cost,  and  with  such  real  satisfaction  to  the  inhabitants  of 
this  great,  and  as  he  trusted  what  was  destined  to  be, 
the  greater  city  of  Manchester. 

Alderman  Walton  Smith,ChairmanoftheFree  Libraries 
Committee  said  that  probably  many  of  those  present 
would  remember  that  that  building  was  formerly  a 
Primitive  Methodist  Chapel,  but  the  Libraries  Committee 
had  so  adapted  it  as  to  make  it  eminently  useful  for  the 
large  population  in  the  neighbourhood  as  a  library  and 
reading  room.  They  had  purchased  the  chapel  for  ^600, 
and  the  cost  of  furnishing  and  adapting  the  building  had 
increased  this  amount  to  ;^i,300.  The  Council  had 
observed  with  pleasure  how  the  libraries  were  appreciated 
by  the  public,  and  had  noted  with  equal  pleasure  that 
there  was  no  grumbling  at  the  expense  which  had  been 
incurred  in  this  behalf  When  they  next  applied  to 
Parliament  for  a  bill  they  intended  to  introduce  a  clause 
which  would  enable  them  to  spend  more  than  one  penny 
in  the  pound  for  library  purposes. 

On  the  motion  of  Mr.  Alderman  Bennett,  seconded 
by  Councillor  Chesters  Thompson  and  supported  by 
Councillor  Hinchliffe,  a  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  the 


28o  BOYS'   ROOMS. 

Mayor.  The  Mayor  briefly  replied,  and  then  moved  a 
vote  of  thanks  to  the  Chairman  for  his  unceasing  efforts 
in  developing  the  library  system  in  Manchester,  and  for 
his  conduct  in  the  chair  that  evening.  Councillor  Schou 
•  seconded  the  motion,  and  said  he  was  sure  Mr.  Smith 
and  his  Committee  would  do  all  in  their  power  to  extend 
the  usefulness  of  free  libraries  throughout  the  city  of 
Manchester.  Prior  to  declaring  the  library  open  the 
Mayor  addressed  a  large  number  of  boys  who  had 
assembled  to  meet  him  in  the  boys'  reading  room  in  the 
basement.  At  the  close  of  his  remarks  a  vote  of  thanks, 
moved  and  seconded  by  two  of  the  boys,  was  heartily 
accorded  to  his  Worship. 

The  building  was  formerly  a  chapel  belonging  to  the 
Primitive  Methodist  body,  and  was  altered  for  its  present 
purpose  from  designs  by  Mr.  John  Allison.  The  public 
reading  room  is  a  lofty  and  cheerful  looking  room,  43ft. 
long  by  31ft.  wide,  and  is  surrounded  by  stands,  on  which 
the  newspapers  are  placed.  A  boys'  room  has  been 
constructed  in  the  basement,  being  the  same  size  as  the 
upper  floor,  and  loft  high.  Both  floors  are  heated  by 
hot-water  pipes,  and  special  attention  has  been  paid  to  the 
ventilation. 

A  description  of  the  Chester  Road  Reading  Room, 
and  an  account  of  its  opening  have  already  been  given. 
At  Crumpsall  the  arrangements  are  as  yet  temporary,  but 
the  room  has  already  proved  remarkably  popular  as  a 
delivery  station. 
d  boys'  rooms. 

The  rooms  set  apart  for  boys  are  each  provided  with  a 
selection  of  about  500  volumes  of  books  especially  suitable 
for  perusal  by  them.  Periodicals  are  also  supplied,  of 
which  the  following  is  a  list : — 


MONTHLY 

Band  of  Hope  Review 

Onward 

British  Workman 

St.  Nicholas 

Children's  Friend 

Sunshine 

Friendly  Greetings 

Welcome 

Little  Folks 

Young  Days 

THE  LIBRARY  STAFF. 


Boy's  Own  Paper 
Chatterbox 
Children's  Own 
Chums 


Graphic 

Illustrated  London  News 

Sunday 

Youth 


These   rooms  are  open   from   six  p.m.  to  nine  p.m.  each 
evening,  Sundays  included. 


THE    LIBRARY   STAFF. 

The  Staff  consists  of  a  Chief  Librarian,  Deputy  Chief 
Librarian,  a  Superintendent  of  Branches,  an  Assistant 
Librarian  of  the  Reference  Library,  eleven  Librarians 
of  the  Branch  Libraries  (five  being  women),  and  the 
following  97  assistants  and  43  other  employees  : — 

Reference  Library — Male  Assistants 15 

P'emale       ,,       2 

Binders 2 

Porters   4 

Cleaners     3 

Ancoats —                       Female  Assistants 6 

One  Porter  and  one  Cleaner. . .  2 

Bradford —                    Female  Assistants 3 

One  Cleaner i 

Cheetham —                   Female  Assistants 5 

One  Porter  and  two  Cleaners  3 

Chester  Road^           Female  Assistants 3 

One  Cleaner i 

Chorlton —                   Female  Assistants 8 

One  Porter  and  one  Cleaner...  2 

Crumpsall —                  Female  Assistants 2 

One  Cleaner i 

Deansgate —                  Female  Assistants 7 

One  Porter  and  two  Cleaners  3 

Gorton —                        Female  Assistants 5 

One  Porter  and  one  Cleaner...  2 

Harpurhey—                Female  Assistants 2 

One  Cleaner i 


282  THE   LIBRARY  STAFF. 

HuLME —  Female  Assistants g 

One  Porter  and  two  Cleaners  3 
Hyde  Road —  Female  Assistants 3 

One  Cleaner i 

LoNGSiGHT—  Female  Assistants 6 

One  Porter  and  one  Cleaner. . .  2 
MosTON —  Female  Assistants 2 

One  Cleaner i 

Newton  Heath —         Female  Assistants 4 

One  Porter  and  one  Cleaner. . .  2 
Openshaw —  Female  Assistants 6 

Two  Porters  and  two  Cleaners  4 
Rochdale  Road —       Female  Assistants 5 

One  Porter  and  two  Cleaners  3 
RusHOLMB —  Female  Assistants 4 

One  Porter  and  one  Cleaner. . .   2 


AREAS  OF  THE  IJBKAKIES  AND  READING  ROOMS.      2S3 


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